Finding Neverland: Homelessness and Despair in the Urban Space

Authors : Sweta KUSHWAHA

Pages : 123-132

View : 14 | Download : 13

Publication Date : 2023-02-05

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :The centrality of the space of the home to an individuals’ existence has been extensively documented philosophically, anthropologically and socio-culturally. This paper plans to look at the state of homelessness and the urban poverty within the postmodern spaces of cities like Hong Kong and Seoul through cinematic space. The paper is an exploration into the state of being homeless, adrift and existing within these city spaces and looking for something as a response to the rapid globalization of these cities. The centrality of the home is dissected through the fragmentary lives and spatially rootless existence that the characters in the two films under study have: Microhabitat insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(Jeon 2017); and Drifting insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(Jun Li 2021);. Their urban poverty is contrasted against the towering buildings that line the sidewalks of these cities and is interrogated against the state and the accessibility of rights to the city within the state. How do placeless individuals fight for belonging and acceptance? What are the responses to urban poverty within these spaces of the city? These are some of the questions this paper will be exploring.
Keywords : evsizlik, kentsel yoksulluk, marjinalleşme, küreselleşme, sinema