The home as workplace: a study of income-generating activities within the domestic setting

Many studies of housing concentrate on the dwelling as a place of shelter f or the household, as a unit of accommodation and as a key setting for socia l reproduction. However, in many parts of the world the dwelling is also a place of production: some or all of the household members may be involved i n income-generating activities, ranging from small-scale, part-time tasks w ith few specific spatial demands, to manufacturing activities which may nom inate the dwelling environment. This paper draws on a pilot research study into the housing implications of home-based enterprises undertaken in a squ atter settlement in New Delhi, India. In addition to a questionnaire survey , detailed case histories of selected households' work and housing situatio ns were recorded, and plans of dwellings drawn. Drawing on this data, the p aper examines the spatial and social implications of income-generating acti vities and discusses how an analysis of the integration of non-domestic act ivities can inform and broaden our understanding of the meaning of home.