Precarious Negotiations of Space and Identity
摘要
In this chapter, the interview data are structured around the overarching theme of precarity. As discussed in the theoretical framework, precarity encompasses vulnerability, uncertainty, instability, insecurity, and a lack of control that house sharers experience in their living arrangements. Within the context of shared housing, this precariousness manifests in various ways, shaping house sharers’ everyday experiences and interactions. This precarity might restrict house sharers’ ability to exert control over their living situation and interaction, and result in limited autonomy. In this chapter, the state of precarity is broken down into two key subthemes based on the analysis of the transcribed data. The first subtheme is spatial precarity which addresses how house sharers have little control over their physical environment, how the forced proximity with a group of strangers can lead to forced social interactions, and the resulting tensions or discomfort that may arise. The second subtheme is identity-based precarity, which highlights the vulnerabilities and inequalities that arise due to the individual’s social identities. Here, particular attention will be given to how being a migrant and holding a minority ethnic identity can introduce additional layers of inequality and precarity within shared housing environments. This will be followed by a focus on linguistic precarity, where limited proficiency in the dominant local language may restrict house sharers’ participation in household communication and can also lead to exclusion or discrimination based on language use and identity.