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Choosing this life: narratives of choice amongst house sharers

Choosing this life: narratives of choice amongst house sharers
Choosing this life: narratives of choice amongst house sharers
House sharing amongst young adults is often regarded as being of significance only as a short term, transitional arrangement, and is associated with economic constraint. This association is, however, undergoing change, as it is a household form increasingly adopted by young people in professional and managerial occupations. This paper focuses on the experiences of these rather more advantaged sharers, and explores their own accounts of why they live in shared housing. The language of choice features heavily in their narratives, embracing a consideration of the material and non-material benefits of sharing, and of their own projected domestic trajectories. It is concluded that, whilst financial concerns are not unimportant in their decision-making, most regard their living arrangements as appropriate to the needs and demands of their current lifestyles, and do not experience their living arrangements as products of constraint.
0267-3037
619-635
Kenyon, E.
6b640117-98fb-4c7a-a79f-d16b3de7af58
Heath, S.
ff47fea0-db25-404f-a1d4-9bc1850b6c7d
Kenyon, E.
6b640117-98fb-4c7a-a79f-d16b3de7af58
Heath, S.
ff47fea0-db25-404f-a1d4-9bc1850b6c7d

Kenyon, E. and Heath, S. (2001) Choosing this life: narratives of choice amongst house sharers. Housing Studies, 16 (5), 619-635.

Record type: Article

Abstract

House sharing amongst young adults is often regarded as being of significance only as a short term, transitional arrangement, and is associated with economic constraint. This association is, however, undergoing change, as it is a household form increasingly adopted by young people in professional and managerial occupations. This paper focuses on the experiences of these rather more advantaged sharers, and explores their own accounts of why they live in shared housing. The language of choice features heavily in their narratives, embracing a consideration of the material and non-material benefits of sharing, and of their own projected domestic trajectories. It is concluded that, whilst financial concerns are not unimportant in their decision-making, most regard their living arrangements as appropriate to the needs and demands of their current lifestyles, and do not experience their living arrangements as products of constraint.

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Published date: 2001

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 33870
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/33870
ISSN: 0267-3037
PURE UUID: 127efed4-55db-47c9-899e-93257b92d07a

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Date deposited: 17 May 2006
Last modified: 26 Apr 2022 20:03

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Contributors

Author: E. Kenyon
Author: S. Heath

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