Preview

Summary Of With No Direction Homeless Youth On The Road And In The Streets

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
1255 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Summary Of With No Direction Homeless Youth On The Road And In The Streets
The ethnography that caught my eye was “With No Direction Home: Homeless Youth On the Road and in the Streets” by: Marni Finkelstein, is an interesting and in depth look into the world of homeless youth, showing the reader the progression of the homeless youth and the tactics they use everyday to make this a lifestyle they chose. The Ethnography primarily takes place during the summer months and the homeless youth that Finkelstein interviewed and took information from were mostly based in the East village neighbourhood in New York, concentrating in and around Tompkins square park (Finkelsteing,8). The author wanting to give the reader a more understanding look into the lives of these homeless youth learning about their experiences, priorities …show more content…
I found this very interesting as during the lectures in class we would often talk about family organization and when I was reading the book I couldn’t help but notice this strong connection to that a family can be created form nothing and function on a code of respect that is respected by most street kids. Also the connection when it comes to gender relations and the situations that vary between homeless girls and boys. It is shown that even thought both sexes have been both offered sexual advances for drugs and money, the girls have a harder time because of these situations of prostitution. It is often why girls travel in a group less than going by themselves when hitchhiking etc.…The ethnography really enlightens my view on these subjects because I would have never thought such a feeling of family and “brotherhood” could be established between multiple people and genders, and how different gender relations can be how experiences can differ between people of the opposite sex. Nothing the anthropologist did really contradicted what I read as it actually made me understand even more what I was learning in class reinforcing the facts about family and gender relations. Reading the ethnography was as if experiencing what these homeless youth went through and how they dealt with their

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Better Essays

    I had always been told this book was incredible and I never read it because it just didn't seem like my type of book, but this course gave me the opportunity to read this book and really reflect on it. I suppose there are many different ways that I could use this book in both my personal and professional life. All of the different things going on in this book really helped me to notice some of the signs that children who suffer from abuse and neglect will often show. Children coming to school in smelly clothes, having random bruises appearing each week, looks of malnourishment, change of bruise stories, etc. are all tell-tale signs that maybe there's a bigger issue going on in the home than meets the eye. I have a passion for Social Work and working with children and adults who have been affected by alcohol and substance abuse is where I want to spend most of my time, so this book really hit me in my emotions and pulled at my heart strings. This book has opened up my eyes to see the cruelty that we face in this world and that nobody is safe, not even a small child. If nothing else, this book at least has made me want to be nicer to children and to make sure I can identify signs of abuse and neglect in children. This book makes me so much more excited to be a helper after reading it because I'm going to strive to get victims of this severe abuse out of the home and into a safe area. Also, this book makes…

    • 1633 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Better Essays

    The Video I decided to choose for my Ethnographic Paper is “Denver Homeless”. The video is a collection of interviews from people who are homeless in Denver. Created by “Isaac, John, Steven and Austin: the video goes to show a lot of things.…

    • 1865 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    You may not have perceived that this life, the way we have been brought up has condition us to be unseeing to some obvious situations in this world. Visibly picture in your head what it means to be homeless at that same time think why are those people homeless? During this recent article, Michael Sullivan wrote, I was homeless; ‘the look’ judged me worthless, to share with all readers in different communities. Sullivan has an overwhelming sense of personal experiences shared which gives a great insight to draw his readers to an emotional side as well as a connection of trust with him. While using examples of pathos and ethos his readers are likely to feel a connection to his article and see things differently as he did during his own life experience.…

    • 578 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Best Essays

    This research assessed the struggles of homeless children. The study compared the educational struggles of a random sampling of children living in stable environments to children who are considered “homeless.” Homeless refers to any child or youth who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence. The study revealed the number of homeless children is steadily increasing. However, despite the instability of a home life, a positive school environment for children and youth impacts their success as adults. It is recommended to promote community awareness regarding child…

    • 1711 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Best Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Homelessness is a social crisis that has stayed with us throughout our history. There was an increase in the number of homeless people in the 1980s due to housing and social service cuts increasing. In Philippe Bourgois and Jeff Schonberg’s, “Righteous Dopefiend,” being homeless is just one of the many problems that encompass their day to day reality. The two anthropologists assimilate themselves in the homeless community and observe the hardships that come from living on the streets and drug addiction. A better understanding is attained through their ethnographic research and details of the homeless’ lives can be used to further our knowledge and help in solving society’s problems. This ethnography shows that through of a community of addicts, the structure of society often produces and reproduces this advantage.…

    • 1097 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    A problem that persists through every part of the world is a lack of compassion for the homeless. No matter how many charities are available for people to donate to, they are often careless and forgetful. This problem stems from laziness and a lack of motivation to be involved. This carelessness can account for the lack of resources or the lack of knowledge about resources for the homeless.…

    • 211 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Moynihan Report

    • 677 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Anthropology: the scientific study of the origin, culture, and development of humans. I think that the use of this particular social science was used quite accurately because it explains to you time and time again that where a person comes from, what type of culture the know, and the development that the go through is all within the family. I believe that the father of a family is the most important role for an African American male to see because if the father is not around for the younger male to see then there is no major positive male influence for the younger male to see. The family for African Americans isn't as strong for us as it is for other races. Within the report it seemed to focus more on the African American male and the role of the male or father heavily. It seems to me as if the report is saying that, if a male grows up in a single family home, with no enriching…

    • 677 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Widespread concern emerged in the early 1970s about youth who were away from home and in at-risk situations, often through no fault of their own.…

    • 121 Words
    • 1 Page
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    As a group, we challenged group bias by discussing the homeless research we had previously encountered. We had all came across viral internet videos of homeless people who were just in the business of loitering and collecting free money for drugs or other unhealthy activities. We became hesitant and unsure if we wanted to help the homeless community because of the negative stereotype. But, Chris brought up a very strong point he said “Well at the end of the day it doesn't matter because no human being deserves to be out in the cold without proper layering.We just will choose not give money instead give them resources that will make a difference in the long term”…

    • 305 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    This youth has abandoned the only life they have ever known in hopes for in finding a more deserving one they see fit. Outcasting themselves from their life from abusive relationships, economic troubles, and a government record induces a desperate desire for them to flee. The homeless youth are compelling themselves to believe there is no other option than running away from home. This drastic decision has led some of them to take unhealthy measures to survive by depending on sex for food, shelter, and other basic human needs, while others are battling an addiction with drugs or alcohol, and in the end dependency on both of these lead most homeless youth to decrease in mental health.…

    • 117 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Better Essays

    Homeless Ethnography

    • 1251 Words
    • 6 Pages

    This article looks at different sociologic study to gain insight into the homeless culture to try to better understand what was going on.…

    • 1251 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    The research topic I chose to write about is homeless individuals in Denver. Homelessness has become a problem in Denver, Colorado. Many families and youth are becoming homeless because of job layoffs, housing costs, and financial troubles. Additionally, the change of the housing market in Denver has escalated more than any other time; so many people have become homeless. These homeless individuals are forced to stay on the sidewalks of Denver and carry their belongings to stay warm; however this has been a major problem for Denver residents. As the Denver Post says, “Denver begins another sweep of the homeless from Lawrence Street Campus.” This topic has been in the media several times, and it seems to be a…

    • 500 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Homeless people all around the world are starving and nobody is doing anything about it. Homelessness is defined as a person who "lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate night-time residence." (Cite)They are starving because of the poverty in the world, the whole world's population as we know it, and community's pretending not to see it happening . Poverty is a big thing that affects homelessness in the U.S (cite) . The population increases every day and that makes the world more populated and creates more homeless people. The community pretends that they do not see people and just let them die right in their faces Worldwide, homelessness is caused by a breakdown in traditional family support systems, continued urbanization, the effects of structural adjustment programs, civil wars, and natural disasters. (Cite)…

    • 1206 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    My friends and I left the restaurant, laughing. It was getting dark and the city was beautifully lit. We smiled and chatted as we walked through downtown. Suddenly my eyes fell on a young woman arranging her sleeping quarters in the middle of the sidewalk. She looked barely older than me - she could have easily been a college student. The girl sat down and pulled a few dirty blankets over her body, preparing for the night’s sleep. I was staggered by the similarities between the two of us. Her face stuck in my memory as I got home and climbed into my comfortable bunk bed. People my age weren’t supposed to be homeless, were they? Where was her family, her connections? Why would she be on the streets? Were there more people like her or was she an anomaly? I realized I knew nothing about homelessness and had instead been subconsciously analyzing it with my own preconceptions as a basis. But I wasn’t the only one allowing myself to remain so misinformed. Research shows there are almost ubiquitous misconceptions concerning homelessness and the stigma against it, especially when it comes to the demographics of the homeless population, the amount of crimes…

    • 1325 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    From a young age, my life has been presented with many adversities. Some of these hardships included childhood obesity, being bullied, and homelessness. After my parents divorced when I was young, my dad forced my mother and I to leave our home. As a result, we were homeless. However, we were able to overcome this hardship thanks to the generosity of others. Coming from a low-income background, my mother and I could only afford unhealthy foods. My eating pattern along with lack of exercise lead to me weighing over 280 pounds when I was in the 7th grade. Due to my obesity, I was often bullied by children in my school. In order to hide the pain, I was feeling, I would look towards food as a comfort. One day in 8th grade I had decided that I did not want to live my life this way anymore. As a result, I started eating healthier and exercising regularly. Through this process I was able to lose over 100 pounds. By experiencing obesity, being bullied, and homelessness at a young age, I was able to develop the characteristics of being strong, driven towards success, and caring for others. Through my experiences, I have decided that I want to encourage children who are experiencing similar situations that they can overcome them.…

    • 255 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays