Unhomed: Cycles of Mobility and Placelessness in American Cinema

Pamela Roberston Wojcik explores America's complex and changing attitude toward homelessness through the analysis of film cycles from five distinct historical periods, highlighting the tension between viewing homelessness as deviant and threatening or as emblematic of freedom and independence.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 296 pages
Publication date: 07 May 2024
Publisher: University of California Press

In this captivating exploration of American cultural history, Pamela Roberston Wojcik delves into the complex and ever-evolving attitudes towards homelessness. Through a meticulous examination of film cycles spanning five distinct historical moments, Wojcik uncovers a profound tension within the American imagination. She explores the portrayal of characters who are unhomed and placeless, characterized by their mobility rather than fixed abode. These characters, whether they fail, resist, or opt out of the mandate for a home of their own, challenge prevailing narratives that view homelessness as deviant and threatening. Wojcik's analysis spans from the silent era's tramp films to the recent Oscar-winning masterpiece, Nomadland, revealing a shifting perception of homelessness in American society. By seamlessly blending social history with insights drawn from a diverse range of films, both canonical and fringe, Wojcik effectively dismantles dominant narratives that place aspirations for success and social mobility at the center of American cinema. She reminds us that genres of precarity have always played a central role in shaping the American story, highlighting the need to reexamine our understanding of homelessness and its impact on society.

Weight: 408g
Dimension: 229 x 152 x 20 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780520390362