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Exploring Ethos? Discourses of ‘Charity’ in the Provision of Emergency Services for Homeless People

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  • Paul Cloke

    (School of Geographical Sciences, University of Bristol, University Road, Clifton, Bristol BS8 1SS, England)

  • Sarah Johnsen
  • Jon May

Abstract

This paper examines the ethos of organisations providing emergency services for homeless people in Britain. Drawing on extensive surveys of nonstatutory organisations we present a discourse analysis of statements of ‘mission’, ‘values’, and ‘ethics’, arguing that, although care needs to be exercised in translating organisational ethos into likely practices of care, these overarching messages of ethos are significant waymarkers in the moral landscapes of caring for homeless people. Using Coles's rethinking of the politics of generosity, we interrogate ethos in terms of three ideal types—Christian caritas, secular humanism, and postsecular charity—concluding that the principal fault-line in current services divides organisations which expect particular behavioural outcomes from homeless people (including Christian ‘conversion’ and more secular assumptions of self-responsibility), and those which provide care regardless of individual response.

Suggested Citation

  • Paul Cloke & Sarah Johnsen & Jon May, 2005. "Exploring Ethos? Discourses of ‘Charity’ in the Provision of Emergency Services for Homeless People," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 37(3), pages 385-402, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:envira:v:37:y:2005:i:3:p:385-402
    DOI: 10.1068/a36189
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    Cited by:

    1. McMullin, Caitlin, 2018. "Co-production and the third sector: A comparative study of England and France," Thesis Commons 578d3, Center for Open Science.
    2. David Conradson, 2008. "Expressions of Charity and Action towards Justice: Faith-based Welfare Provision in Urban New Zealand," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 45(10), pages 2117-2141, September.
    3. Katharina Molterer & Patrizia Hoyer & Chris Steyaert, 2020. "A Practical Ethics of Care: Tinkering with Different ‘Goods’ in Residential Nursing Homes," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 165(1), pages 95-111, August.
    4. Justin Beaumont, 2008. "Faith Action on Urban Social Issues," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 45(10), pages 2019-2034, September.
    5. Justin Beaumont, 2008. "Introduction: Faith-based Organisations and Urban Social Issues," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 45(10), pages 2011-2017, September.
    6. Jennie Middleton & Richard Yarwood, 2015. "‘Christians, out here?’ Encountering Street-Pastors in the post-secular spaces of the UK’s night-time economy," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 52(3), pages 501-516, February.
    7. Michele Lancione, 2014. "Entanglements of faith: Discourses, practices of care and homeless people in an Italian City of Saints," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 51(14), pages 3062-3078, November.

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