Autor/es
Descripción
ver mas
Colaborador
Paiva, Verónica
Idioma
spa
Extent
203 p.
Derechos
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
Atribución-NoComercial-SinDerivadas 2.0 Genérica (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
Formato
application/pdf
Identificador
Cobertura
7593303
Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires (autonomus city)
1997-2011
Abstract
This thesis has the general aim to identify the strategies developed by the adults living on the street (AVC) in order to satisfy their needs as well as analyse the
characteristics of the public policies implemented by the Government of the City of Buenos Aires (GCBA) to serve this group of individuals. This analysis will explore if these policies either contribute to overcome the situation of living on the street, if they reinforce it, or if they mitigate the most adverse situations. For this purpose, the thesis will consider not only the way the policies were designed, but also the different ways the AVC use those government policies as well as those offered by different organizations of the civil society (OSC). The thesis is structured in five chapters, as it will be shown.
The first chapter starts by presenting the general outline of the thesis and assessing the research problem. In the first part, there is a definition of the main concepts and ideas used throughout the study as well as a temporary (1997-2011) and spatial (city of Buenos Aires) delimitation of the unit of analysis. There is also an explanation about the contributions of this research. In the second part, the main research questions of the thesis are acknowledged, as well as the general and specific objectives and the necessary methodological considerations. Lastly, previous studies about the topic in Argentina are considered, analysing their contributions towards this thesis.
The second chapter describes the socio-demographic characteristics of the adult population that lives in the streets of the city of Buenos Aires. This description is
fulfilled using two sources: the quantitative studies performed by the GCBA, and the indepth interviews specially carried out for this thesis. Thus, the main characteristics of the AVC are put forward: how many of them are there, their gender and their average age, their highest level of educational achievement, if they are migrants or not, and how they relate to the labour world.
Finally, there is an analysis of their housing trajectories and their networks. The later examination is contextualised given the social and urban transformations of the city of Buenos Aires in the last twenty years. Towards the end of the chapter, four variables —three structural and one subjective— are mentioned, which, combined, can explain how living on the street can become an overnight option for these adults.
In the third chapter there is an analysis of the three types of policies implemented by the GCBA, which directly or indirectly influence the AVC. Type A gathers the social programmes created since 1997, which are still in place. Emphasis is stressed on how and why in that year this topic was introduced into the political agenda of the city of Buenos Aires and what was the initial diagnosis that brought them about.
Type B policies have been implemented since 2008 and tend to be repressive, since its main characteristic is the removal and eviction of the popular sector, thus worsening the living conditions of the AVC, among other groups. Policies that form part of this group relate to the deepening of the evictions, the veto of laws that attempted to protect the most vulnerable individuals, the creation of the Public Space Control Unit (UCEP) and the fencing and lattice of squares and parks. Lastly, type C policies is formed by the bill presented by an OSC that aimed at considering the AVC as individuals with rights and promoting equal rights to the city. One month after being unanimously approved by the Legislature of the city of Buenos Aires, the law was vetoed by the Mayor of the city, Mauricio Macri. Thus, this third chapter shows the changes in the relationship between the government and the AVC from 1997 up to today. It is important to stress that the three types of policies coexisted and that there is an analysis of the types of solutions each of them have for the homeless.
The fourth chapter focuses on the uses that the AVC give to the city’s infrastructure in order to satisfy their needs. To achieve this, the research considers in which neighbourhoods the AVC stay overnight, which are the places they choose to sleep in, what are their trajectories and movements during the day, what are their motivations behind these decisions and how they incorporate and use, on a daily basis, the services of the GCBA and the OSC. The geo-referencing of the statistical data gave solid grounds to account for how the AVC used the city’s infrastructure. The in-depth interviews helped to visualise the motivations behind the individuals’ decisions and the characteristics of the relationships amongst the AVC. The later shows that the information that flows between the AVC in the form of advice, warnings and rumours is the reason that explains why half the AVC does not stay overnight in the shelters provided by the GCBA and the OSC, which are free of charge.
The fifth chapter analyses the conflicts, and solidarities, as well as the looks and glances that develop amongst the different actors that are involved in the context of living on the streets. It assesses how the AVC identifies them given the differences constructed amongst them and with a certain ‘other’. Emphasis is stressed on the groups that threat—the police and night gangs—and help—the neighbours—the AVC. The way the AVC interact with the ‘other’ depends on how successful are their strategies to make visible or hide their situation in a society that stigmatises them, and which also lives increasingly fearful of the unknown.
The last chapter concludes and lists the main references used throughout the thesis.
characteristics of the public policies implemented by the Government of the City of Buenos Aires (GCBA) to serve this group of individuals. This analysis will explore if these policies either contribute to overcome the situation of living on the street, if they reinforce it, or if they mitigate the most adverse situations. For this purpose, the thesis will consider not only the way the policies were designed, but also the different ways the AVC use those government policies as well as those offered by different organizations of the civil society (OSC). The thesis is structured in five chapters, as it will be shown.
The first chapter starts by presenting the general outline of the thesis and assessing the research problem. In the first part, there is a definition of the main concepts and ideas used throughout the study as well as a temporary (1997-2011) and spatial (city of Buenos Aires) delimitation of the unit of analysis. There is also an explanation about the contributions of this research. In the second part, the main research questions of the thesis are acknowledged, as well as the general and specific objectives and the necessary methodological considerations. Lastly, previous studies about the topic in Argentina are considered, analysing their contributions towards this thesis.
The second chapter describes the socio-demographic characteristics of the adult population that lives in the streets of the city of Buenos Aires. This description is
fulfilled using two sources: the quantitative studies performed by the GCBA, and the indepth interviews specially carried out for this thesis. Thus, the main characteristics of the AVC are put forward: how many of them are there, their gender and their average age, their highest level of educational achievement, if they are migrants or not, and how they relate to the labour world.
Finally, there is an analysis of their housing trajectories and their networks. The later examination is contextualised given the social and urban transformations of the city of Buenos Aires in the last twenty years. Towards the end of the chapter, four variables —three structural and one subjective— are mentioned, which, combined, can explain how living on the street can become an overnight option for these adults.
In the third chapter there is an analysis of the three types of policies implemented by the GCBA, which directly or indirectly influence the AVC. Type A gathers the social programmes created since 1997, which are still in place. Emphasis is stressed on how and why in that year this topic was introduced into the political agenda of the city of Buenos Aires and what was the initial diagnosis that brought them about.
Type B policies have been implemented since 2008 and tend to be repressive, since its main characteristic is the removal and eviction of the popular sector, thus worsening the living conditions of the AVC, among other groups. Policies that form part of this group relate to the deepening of the evictions, the veto of laws that attempted to protect the most vulnerable individuals, the creation of the Public Space Control Unit (UCEP) and the fencing and lattice of squares and parks. Lastly, type C policies is formed by the bill presented by an OSC that aimed at considering the AVC as individuals with rights and promoting equal rights to the city. One month after being unanimously approved by the Legislature of the city of Buenos Aires, the law was vetoed by the Mayor of the city, Mauricio Macri. Thus, this third chapter shows the changes in the relationship between the government and the AVC from 1997 up to today. It is important to stress that the three types of policies coexisted and that there is an analysis of the types of solutions each of them have for the homeless.
The fourth chapter focuses on the uses that the AVC give to the city’s infrastructure in order to satisfy their needs. To achieve this, the research considers in which neighbourhoods the AVC stay overnight, which are the places they choose to sleep in, what are their trajectories and movements during the day, what are their motivations behind these decisions and how they incorporate and use, on a daily basis, the services of the GCBA and the OSC. The geo-referencing of the statistical data gave solid grounds to account for how the AVC used the city’s infrastructure. The in-depth interviews helped to visualise the motivations behind the individuals’ decisions and the characteristics of the relationships amongst the AVC. The later shows that the information that flows between the AVC in the form of advice, warnings and rumours is the reason that explains why half the AVC does not stay overnight in the shelters provided by the GCBA and the OSC, which are free of charge.
The fifth chapter analyses the conflicts, and solidarities, as well as the looks and glances that develop amongst the different actors that are involved in the context of living on the streets. It assesses how the AVC identifies them given the differences constructed amongst them and with a certain ‘other’. Emphasis is stressed on the groups that threat—the police and night gangs—and help—the neighbours—the AVC. The way the AVC interact with the ‘other’ depends on how successful are their strategies to make visible or hide their situation in a society that stigmatises them, and which also lives increasingly fearful of the unknown.
The last chapter concludes and lists the main references used throughout the thesis.
Título obtenido
Doctor de la Universidad de Buenos Aires en Ciencias Sociales
Institución otorgante
Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Sociales