Why Feeling at Home Matters

Abstract

`In contemporary social theory, images abound of exile, diaspora, time-space compression, migrancy and ``nomadology''. However, the concept of home --- the obverse of all this hyper-mobility --- often remains un-interrogated' (Morley, 2001, pp. 427--8). Though Morley is surely right when he states that `home' is often under-theorized (we will come across some disturbingly unreflective uses of `home' in the coming chapters), the quote above overstates the case if we read it as a general indictment of the research on `home'. Particularly over the past few years, many books, special issues and articles have appeared on `home', `feeling at home' and `belonging' that not only provide excellent overviews of the research to date but also set the research agenda for years to come (Blunt and Dowling, 2006; Bozkurt, 2009; Després, 1991; Gieryn, 2000; Holloway, 2008; hooks, 2009; Mack, 1993; Massey and Jess, 2003; Moore, 2000; Porteous and Smith, 2001; Rybczynski, 1986; Saunders, 1989; Saunders and Williams, 1988; Somerville, 1997; Tuan, 1975, 19 77, 198 0).1 There are also several journals publishing articles on themes around `home' and `belonging', such as the Journal of Housing Research, Housing Studies, Home Cultures and Housing, Theory, and Society.