University of Maryland
Sociology 498: Homelessness 

Liebow: Tell Them Who I Am

Liebow's observation about the consequences of homelessness for family relationships:

"Later, if the women escape from homelessness, they are surprised to find that they are no longer pariahs and at least some family members are prepared to restore relations. Grace was not only surprised at the invitation to rejoin part of her family, she was angry as well. 'I was the same person when I was homeless,' she said. 'I haven't changed. It's only my situation that's changed.'...

The result is that homelessness can cause the loss of family support as well as be caused by it."

Elliot Liebow, Tell Them Who I Am, chapter 3, page 114.
 

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Last updated March 8, 2006
comments to: Reeve Vanneman. reeve@cwmills.umd.edu