"You Know What, I'm Going to Write a Book About It!" – Analysis of Life Histories of People in Vulnerable Housing Situations

• Published in: Društvena istraživanja 2024-03, Vol.33 (1), p.101-124
• Main Authors: Bilinović Rajačić, Ana, Čikić, Jovana
• Format: Article
• Language: hrv ; eng
• ISSN: 1330-0288; 1848-6096
• DOI: 10.5559/di.33.1.05

In the context of vulnerable housing situations (homelessness and housing exclusion), the life course perspective, the concept of housing careers and housing pathways emphasise different life experiences, differential circumstances, and the social contexts of arriving at such a position, depending on age. Keeping this in perspective, the research identified the dominant events and circumstances that marked people's descent into one of the vulnerable housing situations across: a) youth and early middle age, b) late middle age, and c) old age. The study was conducted between December 2021 and February 2022 in the city of Novi Sad (Republic of Serbia). 35 respondents who are in one of the vulnerable housing situations took part in the research. Convenience, purposive and snowball sampling were applied, and the data was collected through a semi- -standardised, in-depth interview. The obtained results indicate the multiplicity and cumulativeness of adverse events and characteristics in the life trajectories of persons in vulnerable housing, as well as the specificity of unfavourable circumstances depending on age. In conclusion, the research confirmed the findings of previous literature in the domain of the life history of vulnerable housing and indicated possible directions for improving the understanding of this topic.