MoH Deep Dive: Social Responses to Stigma

Deep Dive is a current affairs programme hosted by Museum of Homelessness directors Matt and Jess. This monthly show will feature commentators, intelligent analysis, and some honest talk and will unpack what’s going on beyond tabloid sensationalism and stereotyping.

About the next episode – Social Responses to Stigma: Book Tickets Here

Five years ago, a Danish artist called Christian Hornsleth fitted tracker apps to people sleeping rough and launched a city-wide art project that tracked their movements. Was it a prank? A pointed commentary on our morals and ethics? Or was it simply insensitive? It was difficult to tell in a swirl of social media outrage that followed.

Whether it’s art projects or survivalists like Ed Stafford trying his hand at a bit of rough sleeping, the idea of translating the experiences of homelessness is challenging because of the judgements that society brings to those who are most marginalised.

This episode will reflect on how social biases and stigma shape understanding of homelessness. This will include a deep dive into the social neuroscience of how dehumanisation, the historical tradition of social poverty safari and up-to-date projects attempting to unpack stigma today. The episode will include special guests from both a lived experience and an academic perspective.

Guests for this month

Andy Guise: Andy will appear on the show and be the director of the Social Responses to Stigma study at Kings College London. MoH is part of the project which seeks to explore experiences of stigma and discrimination amongst people who are homeless in south London and then seeks to understand how this stigma is created or overcome within particular care and support systems. The project will then imagine new responses to stigma that take action at the level of society.

Dr Lasana Harris: Lasana is a Professor of Social Neuroscience in the Experimental Psychology Division of Psychology & Language  Sciences at UCL. Lasana has undertaken extensive research into dehumanised perception, including work in homelessness settings. Lasana collaborated with MoH on its 2018 exhibition project, ‘Objectified’, exploring whether our object stories can change perceptions of homelessness. Lasana will do a pre-recorded interview, which will be screened at the event.

Check out our Deep Dive page to listen to previous episodes.

Further Info

11 am – 12 noon, doors open at 10.30 am and snacks afterwards.

The programme will be published as a podcast after the studio recording

Tickets Available Here