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No Place to Heal: Discursive Constructions of Homelessness and Health

Pellish-Delin, Amanda LU (2025) STVK12 20251
Department of Political Science
Abstract
This thesis explores how women’s homelessness is framed in policy documents from England (2022) and the United Nations (2023), using Social Determinants of Health (SDH) and feminist policy analysis as interpretive lenses. Through a comparative document analysis and application of Bacchi’s What’ s the Problem Represented to Be? (WPR) approach, the research identifies key similarities and differences in how homelessness is problematized, addressed and what is silenced. The UN report adopts an upstream, rights-based approach that foregrounds structural inequality and systemic exclusion, whereas England’s strategy emphasizes downstream factors, such as individual and service failures, while offering a more detailed focus on women’s needs. Both... (More)
This thesis explores how women’s homelessness is framed in policy documents from England (2022) and the United Nations (2023), using Social Determinants of Health (SDH) and feminist policy analysis as interpretive lenses. Through a comparative document analysis and application of Bacchi’s What’ s the Problem Represented to Be? (WPR) approach, the research identifies key similarities and differences in how homelessness is problematized, addressed and what is silenced. The UN report adopts an upstream, rights-based approach that foregrounds structural inequality and systemic exclusion, whereas England’s strategy emphasizes downstream factors, such as individual and service failures, while offering a more detailed focus on women’s needs. Both policies stress the importance of prevention, lived experience, and relational care, yet differ in their conceptualization of causes and solutions. The analysis highlights persistent tensions inhomelessness policy between addressing immediate needs and confronting root causes, as well as the need for intersectional, gender-sensitive solutions that account for the complex realities of marginalized populations. Findings suggest that integrating SDH and feminist insights can help
inform more inclusive, holistic, and equity-driven policy responses to women’s homelessness. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Pellish-Delin, Amanda LU
supervisor
organization
alternative title
A Feminist WPR Analysis of Homelessness in Global and National Policy (2022–2023)
course
STVK12 20251
year
type
M2 - Bachelor Degree
subject
keywords
Homelessness, women, healthcare, policy, WPR, United Nations, England, SDH
language
English
id
9189673
date added to LUP
2025-08-07 16:28:47
date last changed
2025-08-07 16:28:47
@misc{9189673,
  abstract     = {{This thesis explores how women’s homelessness is framed in policy documents from England (2022) and the United Nations (2023), using Social Determinants of Health (SDH) and feminist policy analysis as interpretive lenses. Through a comparative document analysis and application of Bacchi’s What’ s the Problem Represented to Be? (WPR) approach, the research identifies key similarities and differences in how homelessness is problematized, addressed and what is silenced. The UN report adopts an upstream, rights-based approach that foregrounds structural inequality and systemic exclusion, whereas England’s strategy emphasizes downstream factors, such as individual and service failures, while offering a more detailed focus on women’s needs. Both policies stress the importance of prevention, lived experience, and relational care, yet differ in their conceptualization of causes and solutions. The analysis highlights persistent tensions inhomelessness policy between addressing immediate needs and confronting root causes, as well as the need for intersectional, gender-sensitive solutions that account for the complex realities of marginalized populations. Findings suggest that integrating SDH and feminist insights can help
inform more inclusive, holistic, and equity-driven policy responses to women’s homelessness.}},
  author       = {{Pellish-Delin, Amanda}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{No Place to Heal: Discursive Constructions of Homelessness and Health}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}