In Search of the “Good Life”: The Appeal of the Tiny House Lifestyle in the USA

Severin Mangold and Toralf Zschau
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Severin Mangold: Department of Sociology and Human Services, University of North Georgia, Dahlonega, GA 30597, USA
Toralf Zschau: Department of Sociology and Human Services, University of North Georgia, Dahlonega, GA 30597, USA

Social Sciences, 2019, vol. 8, issue 1, 1-21

Abstract: Over the past decade, tiny houses and the lifestyle they promote have become a world-wide phenomenon, with the trend especially impactful in the United States. Given their broad appeal and increasing prominence within popular culture, it is surprising how little research exists on them. To help to better understand what motivates people to adopt this lifestyle, this paper presents insights from an exploratory study in the United States and offers the first contours of a new conceptual framework. Situating the lifestyle within the larger economic and cultural forces of our times, it argues that going “tiny” is seen by tiny house enthusiasts as a practical roadmap to the Good Life : A simpler life characterized by more security, autonomy, relationships, and meaningful experiences. The paper ends with a brief discussion of broader implications and directions for future research.

Keywords: tiny house; lifestyle; movement (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: A B N P Y80 Z00 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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