In light of the so-called ‘crisis of home’ in Western societies, this thesis explores how to understand the concept of home by developing a multidimensional framework of home and analysing how this concept is articulated in Joke Hermsen’s philosophical memoir Onder een andere hemel. Drawing from literature across various disciplines – including sociology, philosophy, anthropology, geography, and psychology – the framework outlines seven interrelated dimensions of home: home as a social entity, object, place, experience, memory, identity, and ideal. These dimensions serve as a lens through which Hermsen’s personal account of homesickness and her search for home is analysed. Through this synthesis, the framework is both illustrated and enriched by Hermsen’s narrative, showing how the meaning of home is not static, but something that is constantly created and re-created throughout one’s life. The aim of this thesis is not only to provide deeper insight into the layeredness and complexity of the concept of home, but also to reflect critically on what is meant when organisations such as the Dutch Humanistic Alliance express the ambition to create “a home for all”. If home is understood as an existential and dynamic notion, then the aspiration for a home for everyone becomes a demanding, open-ended task – one that calls for ongoing and critical reflection on, and practice of, the idea of home.
| Datum prijs | 27 jun 2025 |
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| Originele taal | Engels |
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