Crossing borders, losing ground: exploring the links between homelessness and migration in contemporary Europe

Christian Hinrichs

Chapter 5 in Homelessness in Affluent Societies, 2026, pp 81-95 from Edward Elgar Publishing

Abstract: Anyone immigrating to a new society needs a home. This chapter examines the complex relationship between housing and migration based on the experiences of economically disadvantaged Eastern European (EU) citizens who are at high risk of becoming homeless in Western Europe. Although the EU's mobility rights ostensibly guarantee freedom of movement and equal treatment in access to the labour market, many migrants face internal barriers within nationally organised social systems that hinder their access to social housing, healthcare, and social assistance. Drawing on theoretical insights from critical migration research and biographical interviews, this chapter situates migrant homelessness at the intersection of structural precariousness, institutional exclusion, and life-course risks. The chapter explores how the exploitation of labour and housing markets, the limitations of the welfare state, and transnational mobility influence the lives of homeless EU migrants. It also challenges reductionist explanations that attribute the causes of homelessness solely to individuals themselves.

Keywords: Migrant Homelessness; Transnational Mobility; Precarious Labour; Precarious Housing; Welfare State Bordering (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
ISBN: 9781035357260
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