Are Homeless People “Vagrants”?

The image of the “homeless person” is associated with the older figure of the wandering vagrant. In reality, “homeless” is a generic term that does not reflect the growing diversity of situations today that are the result of evolving forms of poverty and inadequate housing, particularly in large cities. Their specific needs and aspirations, especially in terms of mobility and anchor points, are often misunderstood by associations and other public authorities. This literature review offers an illuminating synthesis of the main works surrounding this neglected question: how are the mobilities and immobilities of people who don’t have access to a private place of anchoring and intimacy (i.e. housing) structured and organized?