Episode 17: The ‘Hum’ of Dispossession: Belongings and homelessness

Join us for another episode of our mini-series on homelessness and belonging. The Hum, as described by Connie Long, a peer and advocate in British Columbia, is the constant noise of dispossession as homeless people's belongings are seized, stolen and destroyed. Drawing from an ongoing research project, this podcast explains the hum and its traumatizing effects. Nick Blomley from Simon Fraser University joins us as co-host to talk about the research being done in this space. This episode includes clips from an interview with Connie Long, performed and recorded by Claire Shapton.

Read the transcript

Episode Notes

• Nicholas Blomley is a Professor of Geography at Simon Fraser University and a researcher in a cross-Canada research project on homeless people’s belongings.
• Connie Long is an advocate for vulnerable communities with lived experience who organizes in Chilliwack and Abbotsford. She has experience with addiction and is passionate about what she does.
• Claire Shapton recently completed an MA in Geography at Simon Fraser University and worked closely with Drug War Survivors, a peer-centred organization in Abbotsford.

Chapters

• (00:11) Loss of Personal Belongings in Homelessness
• (10:17) Trauma of Losing Home and Belongings
• (19:29) Effects of Trauma and Loss
• (27:59) Dehumanization and Dispossession of Belongings
• (38:50) Addressing Homelessness and Belongings Advocacy
• (51:36) Importance of Addressing Property Loss

Links and Resources Mentioned in This Episide

• "Homeless people deserve a right to belongings" by Nicholas Blomley and Connie Long

Support and Funding for This Episode

• Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.

This episode was produced by Avery Moore Kloss from Folktale Studio.