Homeless migrants’ commoning practices. “Our House” solidarity project in Athens’ Omonoia square
In recent years, Athens has been at the center of the so-called “migration crisis”, as thousands of newcomers have found temporary or permanent refuge in the city. However, because the state’s housing policies have reduced the available positions of those who have the right to settle in state accom...
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European Association of Geographers
2024-03-01
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| Series: | European Journal of Geography |
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| Online Access: | https://www.eurogeojournal.eu/index.php/egj/article/view/566 |
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| author | Charalampos Tsavdaroglou |
| author_facet | Charalampos Tsavdaroglou |
| author_sort | Charalampos Tsavdaroglou |
| collection | DOAJ |
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In recent years, Athens has been at the center of the so-called “migration crisis”, as thousands of newcomers have found temporary or permanent refuge in the city. However, because the state’s housing policies have reduced the available positions of those who have the right to settle in state accommodation structures, an ever-increasing number of newcomers facing homelessness and live in city’s streets, parks and squares. In this context, a solidarity collective kitchen named “Our House” was self-organized by a group of newcomers on the city’s central square, Omonoia Square, where it remained for two years. Our House project activities, based on mutual help and commoning practices, claimed the homeless migrants’ right to the center of the city. However, in 2019 the square was turned into a construction site and Our House activities were prohibited. This paper is based on ethnographic urban research and discusses the solidarity practices of homeless migrants through the theoretical approaches of the right to the city, as well as critical approaches to homelessness and urban commons. The main findings of the paper focus on highlighting the homeless migrants’ commoning practices, and the paper’s contribution lies in the enrichment of theoretical discussions on the right to the city and urban commoning practices through the case homeless migrants’s self-organization.
Highlights:
• The question of the homeless migrants’ right to the center of the city
• There is a lack of addressing the solidarity commoning practices among homeless migrants
• Urban regeneration plans vs. homeless people
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| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-2902a407ebb64c81a722f08abc852491 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1792-1341 2410-7433 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-03-01 |
| publisher | European Association of Geographers |
| record_format | Article |
| series | European Journal of Geography |
| spelling | doaj-art-2902a407ebb64c81a722f08abc8524912025-01-01T06:56:58ZengEuropean Association of GeographersEuropean Journal of Geography1792-13412410-74332024-03-0115110.48088/ejg.c.tsa.15.1.054.063577Homeless migrants’ commoning practices. “Our House” solidarity project in Athens’ Omonoia square Charalampos Tsavdaroglou 0School of Spatial Planning and Development, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece In recent years, Athens has been at the center of the so-called “migration crisis”, as thousands of newcomers have found temporary or permanent refuge in the city. However, because the state’s housing policies have reduced the available positions of those who have the right to settle in state accommodation structures, an ever-increasing number of newcomers facing homelessness and live in city’s streets, parks and squares. In this context, a solidarity collective kitchen named “Our House” was self-organized by a group of newcomers on the city’s central square, Omonoia Square, where it remained for two years. Our House project activities, based on mutual help and commoning practices, claimed the homeless migrants’ right to the center of the city. However, in 2019 the square was turned into a construction site and Our House activities were prohibited. This paper is based on ethnographic urban research and discusses the solidarity practices of homeless migrants through the theoretical approaches of the right to the city, as well as critical approaches to homelessness and urban commons. The main findings of the paper focus on highlighting the homeless migrants’ commoning practices, and the paper’s contribution lies in the enrichment of theoretical discussions on the right to the city and urban commoning practices through the case homeless migrants’s self-organization. Highlights: • The question of the homeless migrants’ right to the center of the city • There is a lack of addressing the solidarity commoning practices among homeless migrants • Urban regeneration plans vs. homeless people https://www.eurogeojournal.eu/index.php/egj/article/view/566migrantscommoninghomelessAthensOmonoia Square |
| spellingShingle | Charalampos Tsavdaroglou Homeless migrants’ commoning practices. “Our House” solidarity project in Athens’ Omonoia square European Journal of Geography migrants commoning homeless Athens Omonoia Square |
| title | Homeless migrants’ commoning practices. “Our House” solidarity project in Athens’ Omonoia square |
| title_full | Homeless migrants’ commoning practices. “Our House” solidarity project in Athens’ Omonoia square |
| title_fullStr | Homeless migrants’ commoning practices. “Our House” solidarity project in Athens’ Omonoia square |
| title_full_unstemmed | Homeless migrants’ commoning practices. “Our House” solidarity project in Athens’ Omonoia square |
| title_short | Homeless migrants’ commoning practices. “Our House” solidarity project in Athens’ Omonoia square |
| title_sort | homeless migrants commoning practices our house solidarity project in athens omonoia square |
| topic | migrants commoning homeless Athens Omonoia Square |
| url | https://www.eurogeojournal.eu/index.php/egj/article/view/566 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT charalampostsavdaroglou homelessmigrantscommoningpracticesourhousesolidarityprojectinathensomonoiasquare |