Finding and Losing "Home" in Houston

• In Event: 40821 - Community and Urban Sociology Section Roundtables
  In Refereed Roundtable (60 minute): Table 12. Place-Based Solidarity & Meaning-Making

Abstract

The idea of “home” is a multifaceted concept that encapsulates a variety of meanings ranging from psychological orientations to physical locations, to the relationships that unfold within, and define spaces. In the summer of 2024, members of the Greater Houston Community Panel were asked “what do you think of when you hear the word home?” and given an open space to describe what came to mind. This project highlights that Harris county residents conceptualize “home” in four broad ways: geographical location/built environment, psychological orientations/attachments, social relationships and activities. However, while most Harris Country residents have positive associations with home, some do not feel “at home” and associate it with negative experiences, including experience with disaster and prevailing cultural and political tensions. Overall, these results illustrate that the meaning of home is not static and is influenced by broader societal structures and experiences with changes in the social and physical environments. As a result, these broader scale social forces negatively affect one’s place attachment and connection to home.

Author

• Aaron Niznik, Rice University