Homelessness and Housing Stress

This title offers cross-disciplinary visions and insights into the implications of housing policy across continents, through accounts of the lived experience of homelessness and housing stress.

Consisting of twenty chapters, visual essays and manifestos from a range of viewpoints inspired by the introductory Homefullness manifesto, this timely collection explores experiences of and approaches to homelessness and housing stress and presents Homefullness as a positive lens to work towards inclusive, affordable and sustainable communities where everyone has a home. It covers a diverse range of topics including supporting cross-disciplinary thinking and innovation in the areas of homelessness and housing stress. The diverse provocative international thinking, research and practice included here explores the importance of community solidarity, mutual aid, and the meaning of home.

This book will be ideal for students, scholars, researchers and practitioners across multiple disciplines and will appeal to readers with interests in the areas of social justice, art, design, activism, homelessness, housing stress, housing policy and provision, human rights and community development.

Neal Haslem is a Senior Lecturer and Interim Associate Dean of the Communication Design discipline in the RMIT School of Design. Neal is a communication designer, design educator and a practice-led researcher in communication design. Neal’s research lies in the intersection of design practice, 'community’ and the intersubjective action with which design reveals and actualises possible futures. Since 2012, Neal has collaborated with Keely Macarow and Marcus Knutagård on manifestos, publications, conferences, and exhibitions advancing the concept of Homefullness.

Marcus Knutagård is a Professor and Head of Department at Malmö University, Sweden. His work integrates research and practice, focusing on housing, homelessness, social policy, and welfare systems. His research frequently highlights the intersection of housing rights and social justice, as well as innovative approaches for addressing homelessness. Since 2012, Professor Knutagård has collaborated with Keely Macarow and Neal Haslem on manifestos, publications, conferences, and exhibitions advancing the concept of Homefullness.

Keely Macarow is an Associate Professor in the School of Art, RMIT University (Naarm/Melbourne) who lives on Dja Dja Wurrung Country (Victoria/Australia). Keely uses text, artworks, design artefacts and exhibitions to explore concerns around care, housing, refugees, health, the climate emergency and her family. She has collaborated with Neal Haslem and Marcus Knutgard since 2012 on manifestos, publications, symposia and exhibitions to advocate for Homefullness.