Passengers of Structured and Unstructured Society: The Experiences and Challenges with Homelessness and Reintegration in Harare, Zimbabwe

Abstract

This thesis examines the causes, experiences and challenges of homeless individuals reintegrating from unstructured society to structured society in Harare, the capital of Zimbabwe. In showcasing and illustrating these perspectives the study is taking an interdisciplinary approach, combining anthropology with social science. Drawing on the concept of liminality, the complex process of becoming homeless and reintegrating is concretised. Using liminality as the framework and analytical tool brings about knowledge about the dynamics of homelessness and how individuals navigate the transition between the stages of structured and unstructured society. The concepts used in this study are family, bare life, matter out of place and stigma and give a deeper understanding of the issue of homelessness. The study utilises a combination of semi-structured life history interviews, ethnographic fieldwork and making observations. Overall, the study highlights the uniqueness and complexities of each individual’s life stories transitioning between unstructured and structured society in Harare. It found that the complex interrelatedness of societal, cultural and political phenomena and contexts at each stage affects the individuals’ ability to reintegrate. The findings also highlight the importance of external support which was a crucial factor in reintegrating into structured society.