Reiterating identity through homes and personal possessions in homes

Abstract

In western countries homes have developed from being private spaces where people restore items and memories that affirm their identity to places of self-expression and representing one’s social status to the public. Self-evidently the home with its interior design, location and size has become a medium which people use to express their style and taste and through which social distinction can be made.

The objective of this thesis is to examine how young people reiterate their identity both through the way they live in their student flats and through the relationships with their personal possessions in their homes. I assume that peoples’ values and habits are strongly influenced by their upbringing, which I expect to be visible in their homes. Homes in general have been examined previously in terms of social distinction, but there are no studies conducted of students living in identical living spaces, such as dormitories, that take in account how personal background and upbringing influence one’s reiteration of identity. Instead of a purely visual representation through the means of documentation, this thesis focuses on the reiteration of just a few individuals’ identity through the way they live in their student flats in Helsinki. Therefore the main focus lies on the theoretical and practical work of research instead of the creation of additional visual content.

In this thesis I review literature which covers the roots and the characteristics of identity and the influence of peoples’ tastes, habits and their capital on their position in society. The literature review is a reflection on the research of identity and its occurence in society and therefore supports the critical analysis of the accomplished field work. I proceed with explaining the field work, which includes interviews as well as photographs. Thereafter I evaluate the found results.