Journal of Contemporary Urban Affairs

2023, Volume 7, Number 1, pages 103–121

Original scientific paper
A Review of the Meaning of Home in Multi-Ethnic Settings
*1 Ph.D Candidate Erna Nuralia Zharani, , 2 Prof. Gehan Selim
1&2
School of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Physical Science, University of Leeds, United Kingdom
1
E-mail: cnenbz@leeds.ac.uk , 2 E-mail: g.selim@leeds.ac.uk

ABSTRACT
ARTICLE INFO:
This paper explores the meaning of home from multiple regions and the factors that influence
Article History: the definition of home from multi-ethnic perspectives. A hypothesis derived that each ethnicity
Received: 16 March 2023 of a household practises cultural values and that reconfiguring physical spaces provides
Revised: 28 May 2023 greater knowledge of their definition of home. This study employed a systematic review to
Accepted: 20 June 2023 gather the most relevant papers in the existing literature from the year 2000 to 2023, to address
Available online: 30 June 2023
the gaps in knowledge in conceptualising the meaning of home in multi-ethnic settings. The
Keywords: findings respond to the hypothesis of this paper, that each household practises privacy and
Meaning of Home; social boundaries in line with their belief systems and that reconfiguring physical space is part
Multi-Ethnic; of homemaking tactics. This study outcome contributes to the development of a new conceptual
Home Practice; framework that clarifies a comprehensive cause-effect relationship between key variables,
Home Making;
Physical home.
ethnicity as the social aspect, built space as the physical aspect and practice as the personal or
This article is an open-access article
psychological aspect, resulting in a greater understanding of the meaning of home in multi-
distributed under the terms and conditions ethnic settings from three scenarios; the home as socio-spatial, psycho-spatial and emotive
of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0
International (CC BY 4.0)
space entity.

JOURNAL OF CONTEMPORARY URBAN AFFAIRS (2023), 7(1), 103-121.

Journal of Contemporary Urban Affairs https://doi.org/10.25034/ijcua.2023.v7n1-8
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claims in published maps and institutional Copyright © 2023 by the author(s).
affiliations.

Highlights Contribution to the field statement

The primary contribution of this article to academia is the development
- Elucidate the interweaving relationship between the disciplines of sociology, of a new conceptual framework that synthesizes the meaning of home
psychology, emotions, architecture and urbanism. in multi-ethnic settings, incorporating ethnicity, home practice, and
- Introduce a new framework as a guide to investigating human intervention physical spaces. This interdisciplinary framework is essential for
in the transformability of spaces and physical settings. understanding how cultural values and privacy influence individuals'
- The outcome of the systematic review responds to the hypothesis of this definitions of home, particularly in contemporary housing design and
paper that each household practises cultural values, privacy and social policy. Additionally, the article highlights the importance of
boundaries in line with their belief systems and that reconfiguring a physical examining research methods and tools and acknowledges the role of
space defines the meaning of home. digital spaces in redefining the meaning of ‘home’ in today's world.

*Corresponding Author:
School of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Physical Science, University of Leeds, United Kingdom
cnenbz@leeds.ac.uk

How to cite this article:

Zharani, E. N. & Selim, G. (2023). A Review of the Meaning of Home in Multi-Ethnic Settings. Journal of Contemporary Urban Affairs, 7(1), 103-
121. https://doi.org/10.25034/ijcua.2023.v7n1-8
 Journal of Contemporary Urban Affairs, 7(1), 103-121 / 2023
1. Introduction
In the context of architecture and urbanism, a physical home or a house is an architectural typology
that provides shelter and protection for the members of households to perform their daily domestic
activities (Cuerdo-Vilches et al., 2020; Özçetin & Rottmann, 2022). A house is a fundamental aspect
of human life and provides provisions to support basic physical survival needs (Muhammad Koderi et
al., 2020). In socio-economic research, ownership of a house usually indicates an individual's living
standard, status and social standing (Mohan & Twigg, 2007). Functionally, a house stands as a tangible
structure that demarcates distinct spatial zones within which household members operate (Hu, 2008).
One of the fundamental objectives of house design strategies is to differentiate between public and
private areas (Hu, 2008; Rahim & Hashim, 2012). In essence, a house assumes the role of a 'human
habitat' as articulated by Lefebvre (1991, p. 12).
Phenomenological inquiry further elucidates the notion of inhabiting a space or dwelling, drawing
parallels to the scholarship of Heidegger (Handel, 2019), who forged connections between
architectural concepts, dwelling, and the idea of home. Heidegger posited that 'We do not dwell
because we have built, but we build and have built because we dwell, that is, because we are dwellers'
(Heidegger, 2001, p. 146). Throughout the early stages of human history, when individuals sought
transient safety at specific locations while also migrating to meet their survival needs, dwelling was
inherently transient. However, as human settlements became more permanent, the notion of 'home'
underwent an evolutionary transformation (Easthope, 2004; Özçetin & Rottmann, 2022).
Crucially, the concept of home transcends its physical permanence, expanding to encompass the
constructive interpersonal relationships crucial for human well-being (Werner et al., 1992; Morrison,
2013; Al-Tarazi, 2021). Home assumes a central role as a social setting for establishing and nurturing
interpersonal bonds among household members, as well as fostering friendships with neighbours and
guests (Werner, 1987, p. 170).
The interaction between people (individually or in groups), setting (physical home) and time (linear or
cyclical) (Case, 1996), expressed the need for psychological comfort, social interactions, spatial
attachment and recognition (Abu-Ghazzeh, 2000; Rioux et al., 2017; Rosbrook & Schweitzer, 2010).
Consequently, the field of domestic architecture assumes the role of a symbol, reflecting identity and
cultural expression (Abdelmonem & Selim, 2012; Vale, 1999; Woodward, 2003). Nonetheless, within
the context of domestic architectural evolution amid globalisation, the construction of physical home
or houses becomes substantially influenced by factors such as construction efficiency, cost
considerations, political agendas, and the representational identity of corporate entities. This emphasis
on practical considerations often diminishes the attention afforded to the profound significance of the
concept of home and its suitability for domestic practice (Lah et al., 2015; Mallett, 2004; Samanani &
Lenhard, 2019; Ureta, 2007).
Several international case studies have unequivocally exemplified that contemporary housing,
particularly in the form of row houses, tends to adopt a standardised, generic approach to housing
design. This approach, however, gradually erodes the socio-cultural practices of indigenous
populations, as social and personal needs inherently vary across ethnicities (Abed et al., 2022; Al-
Mohannadi et al., 2023; Al-Thahab, 2016; Suryadi et al., 2022). These issues, with global
ramifications, have necessitated adaptation and appropriation strategies within the physical dwelling
unit to facilitate sustainable living for its occupants (Abu Bakar et al., 2016; Al-Thahab, 2016; Mackay
& Perkins, 2017; Ureta, 2007). It is crucial to recognise that a house, considered solely as a physical
structure, can transcend its mere physicality and evolve into a 'home' over time through experiences
and acts of appropriation (Abdelmonem & Selim, 2012; Aziz & Ahmad, 2012; Graham et al., 2015;
Samanani & Lenhard, 2019).
In the practice of everyday life (Certeau, 1984), the dynamism of practices may influence the physical
configuration of spaces; constructing an appropriate domestic space over time in response to personal
and social needs can be perceived as a dynamic homemaking 'tactic' (Özçetin & Rottmann, 2022). A
home reflects the culture, social convention and values, manifested in people's habits, practices and

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 Journal of Contemporary Urban Affairs, 7(1), 103-121 / 2023
predispositions towards their homes, which Bourdieu (1977) referred to as “habitus.” These values and
dispositions are acquired through the cultural history we carry across contexts, thus enabling us to
respond in various ways towards cultural rules and contexts, even though where and who we have been
largely determines and regulates our responses to the setting.
In Chile, low-income households domesticated their interior homes as a way to find a balance between
their sense of identity and their inclusion into the Chilean community, always concerning
policymakers' and developers' perceptions, as reflected in estate architectural design on how low-
income families should reside in urban settings (Ureta, 2007, p. 132). For it to feel like a ‘home’, these
families appropriated the physical configurations of their new domestic space to suit their perceived
needs (Ureta, 2007).
A similar challenge was faced by Muslim dwellers when occupying contemporary Australian houses
as they are required to adapt to the extroversion design despite gender and social boundaries being
constantly stressed in Islamic practice (Othman, 2014).
Vale (1999) identified continued evidence for this practice in politicised urbanism in developing
countries such as Malaysia. Since the early development of contemporary row houses in the 1970s,
Malaysian scholars have criticised the design of contemporary homes, calling it a 'forced architectural
identity' (Rasdi, 2007).
Numerous research on identical and mirror-image built forms in contemporary row housing led to
physical modifications by dwellers, describing issues concerning privacy tensions and social conflicts
which are inefficient to their home practice and experience (Omar et al., 2016; Razali & Talib, 2013;
Samsudin & Idid, 2016).
In sum, the studies on the meaning of 'home' from Western, Middle-Eastern and Eastern scholarships
are vast; however, there is a knowledge gap in conceptualising the meaning of home in multi-ethnic
settings. A systematic review is required to explore the existing empirical studies from diverse ethnic
backgrounds and the factors that influence their meaning of home. To fill in the gap, the following
questions must be researched:
1. How do we conceptualise the meaning of home in multi-ethnic settings?
2. What is the definition of home and the factor(s) that influence the meaning of home?
3. What are the key variables that can be included in the new conceptual framework of the meaning of
home in a multi-ethnic setting, particularly in the Malaysian context?
This article is a reviewed paper that explicitly identifies the meaning of home from multiple regions
and the factors that influence the definition of home from multi-ethnic perspectives. The objective is
to comprehend the definition of 'home', not only bound to the physical aspect but also how various
ethnicities construct the meaning of home from social and personal aspects. This paper derived a
hypothesis that each ethnicity of a household practises cultural values and that reconfiguring physical
spaces provides greater knowledge of their definition of a home.
This article is divided into five sections. Section 1 introduces the definition of a physical home and the
research problem. Section 2 explains the methodology this paper used is a systematic literature review
to gather the existing publications related to the meaning of home in multiple contexts.
Section 3 reveals the results on the definition of home and the factors that influence the meaning of
home from each related publication’s context study. In Section 4, this paper analyses and discusses the
key variables that contribute to the development of a new conceptual framework that describes the
meaning of ‘home’ for a multi-ethnic setting, particularly in the Malaysian context. Section 5
concludes with contributions to the study and suggestions for future research.

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1.1.Background: Socio-demographic in Malaysia

Figure 1. World map (left) and location map of Kuala Lumpur, the capital city of Malaysia (right).

Malaysia is a region near the tropic, located at the centre of South East Asia and mixed with Malay,
Chinese, Indian and European cultural influences. Malaysia is not only a region where monsoons meet
but is also a transit centre hub for major civilisations. For decades, the population of Malaysia had
experienced turbulent events, such as wars, decolonisation, migration and occupation, before the
country achieved independence in 1957 (Abdullah et al., 2022; Suryadi et al., 2022).
This phenomenon has drastically transformed the nation from a homogeneous socio-demography into
a heterogeneous society that speaks and practises different languages, traditions and cultures. The
Malay-Muslim ethnic group constitutes the majority of Malaysia's population, followed by Chinese
Buddhists, Taoists or Christians and Indian Hindus or Christians (Abdullah et al., 2022).
During post-war British Malaya, Kuala Lumpur's capital city experienced overpopulation with
immigrants, as well as significant migration of people from rural areas, who flocked to the city, the
nation's centre of business and commerce, to gain jobs and achieve a better standard of living (Suryadi
et al., 2022). The sudden population growth led to the rapid development of contemporary row housing
in 1970 and spread across the Selangor state (Ju et al., 2011). As time passed by, the transformation of
these contemporary houses started to take shape differently (Omar et al., 2016).
Mohamad (1992) looked at how the transition of Malaysian households use their homes to support
their belief system and practises in traditional homes, squatters and contemporary flat dwellings.
Intriguingly, this research discovered that Malay and Indian households appropriated domestic spaces
to preserve gender domains (male: public; female: private), Chinese homes delimit between public for
outsiders and family domains as private (Mohamad, 1992).
All three households gradually appropriated the physical configurations of their interior homes to adapt
to their perceived needs, a similar case to Chile’s low-income families. Malaysian housing policies
advocate home ownership based on the anticipated socio-psychological benefits to its citizens.
However, there is less emphasis on the distinctly Eastern cultural characteristics that support the locals'
lived experience and spatial practice. (Hamzah & Adnan, 2016).

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2. Materials and Methods: Systematic Literature Review
A systematic literature review is a scientific exercise, a tool to gather existing literature reviews and
identify evidence where it may be lacking, whether contradictory or inconclusive. The principal
objective of this work is to identify features or connections between major concepts from previous
research that are pertinent to the issue, which is also the aim of a systematic review (Aromataris &
Pearson, 2014).

Figure 2. Publication selection process (Developed by Author).

The works of literature associated with ‘the meaning of home’ were gathered from a corpus of both
theoretical and empirical literature from various disciplines. However, the focus of this review is to
gather empirical studies with diverse ethnic backgrounds. A set of search strings using the keywords
and synonyms were identified through primary literature review and were finalised TITLE-ABS-KEY
('meaning' or 'concept' or 'interpretation') and ('home' or 'house' or 'dwelling*') and ('family*' or
'household*' or 'domestic*') and ('ethnic*' or “culture*” or 'practice') and ('emotion' or 'feeling*' or
'attachment').
A search in the academic databases of Google Scholar (n=2990) and Scopus (n=166), from the 1980s
to the present (31st March 2023) revealed 3,056 publications. This was followed by the selection
process of identification, screening, eligibility and final inclusion. Ten papers identified as non-English
publications were excluded from the selection process.
To assess the eligibility of the chosen papers, a PICO Qualitative technique was utilized (Methley et
al., 2014), which included the following four review criteria: (1) the papers studied a population that
focused on home dwellers who have experienced and modified their physical homes (structural or
objects), (2) interest/intervention: the discourses on the definition of home and the practice of home;
(3) context/setting: households from regions with multicultural backgrounds and a focus within South
Eastern context; (4) outcome: theoretical results on the meaning of home from empirical studies.

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222 publications were found to be relevant and selected for the full-text eligibility process. Empirical
studies with actual physical context are highly preferable and publications published before the year
2000 were excluded since the focus is primarily on the target population in recent years (2000 – 2023).
Studies from Malaysia are mainly selected and included for its multi-cultural context.
Hence, only 17 publications are found to be relevant. Another five most relevant papers were selected
through a snowballing procedure to collect other highly relevant sources of the empirical literature and
were recognised through citation and reference lists. Ultimately, 22 scientific publications ranging
from 2000 to 2023 were selected for analysis. Figure 2 above illustrates the overall selection process.

2.1 Data Analysis

Initially, a thematic analysis was utilised to review and synthesise data from experimental and non-
experimental literature. A qualitative research approach to examine textual data permits the extraction
of main themes and subthemes from a complex and rich dataset, thereby rendering it suitable for the
development of a conceptual framework (Crowe et al., 2015).
A semantic approach was applied to the specific content data in the primary literature study to identify
common themes and concepts concerning the meaning of 'home'. A content analysis was then
conducted on the selected 22 publications to identify and categorise home definitions and the factors
that influence the meaning of home from each context.
The data were then examined holistically and in-depth by utilising the primary themes, which resulted
in secondary coding to develop subthemes. Such introspective theme analysis provided a solid
structure for conceptualising the meaning of home which was then included in the initial development
of the conceptual framework. The following are the primary themes identified as a result of data
analysis: 1) the physical home, 2) the social home, and 3) the personal home.

3. Results: Conceptualising the Meaning of Home

A home is a synthesis of physical, social and personal aspects that include everyday notions of living
within architecture and urban experience (Al-Tarazi, 2021; Graham et al., 2015; Watkins, 2005).
Subthemes that emerged from the data analysis are the factors that influence the home's physical, social
and personal aspects following the context of each publication.
Table 1 below presents the physical aspect consisting of six subthemes; the social aspect has six
subthemes, and the personal aspect has eight. These classifications should not be considered in separate
entities, but rather as a whole that reflects how each of these categories (social, personal and physical)
impacts and is affected by the other two, in line with the argument made by Al-Tarazi (2021).

Table 1: Conceptualisation of the Meaning of ‘Home'.

Definition of a 'Home'
Themes Physical Social Personal/
Psychology
Subthemes 1 Portrayal of 1 Neighbours and 1 Belonging and
architectural style and Multigeneration material attachment
preference relations
2 Quality of material 2 Family bonding and 2 Responsible,
structure and interactions ownership and status
neighbourhood
3 Suitable and 3 Cultural adaptation 3 Permenance, belief
Convenient Services and acceptance and values
4 Appropriation and the 4 Positive atmosphere 4 Privacy and refuge
use of space and caring
5 Boundary and status 5 Friendships and 5 Domestic practice and
indicator celebration experiences
6 Physical 6 Gender role and 6 Transformability and
characteristics and domain control
identity
7 Memories and retreat

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8 Notions of comfort
and familiarity
No Author Year Region
1 Woodward 2003 Australia (1);(4);(5) (2);(4);(5);(6) (2);(3);(5);(6);(8)
2 Hand et al. 2005 UK (1);(3);(5);(6) (1);(3);(5) (2);(5);(8)
3 Hu 2007 China (1);(4);(5);(6) (1);(2);(4);(6) (1);(3);(5);(6);(8)
4 Ureta 2007 Chile (2);(3);(4);(5) (3);(4) (1);(2);(5);(8)
5 Zohri 2010 Malaysia (1);(4);(5) (1);(2);(5);(6) (3);(4);(5);(8)
6 Rahim and Hashim 2012 Malaysia (2);(4);(6) (2);(5) (3);(4);(5);(8)
7 Abdelmonem 2012 Cairo (4);(5);(6) (1);(2);(4);(5);(6) (3);(4);(5);(6);(7)
8 Morrison 2013 New Zealand (4);(5);(6) (2);(4);(6) (1);(3);(5);(7);(8)
9 Othman 2014 Australia (1);(5);(6) (3);(6) (3);(4);(5);(8)
10 Lah et al. 2015 Malaysia (1);(4);(6) (3);(6) (3);(5);(7);(8)
11 Hamzah 2016 Malaysia (2);(4);(5);(6) (2);(4);(6) (1);(2);(3);(4);(5);(7);(
8)
12 Omar et al. 2017 Malaysia (2);(4);(5);(6) (2);(3) (3);(4);(5);(6);(8)
13 Razali and Talib 2017 Malaysia (2);(4);(6) (2);(3);(6) (4);(5);(6);(7)
14 Masran 2019 Malaysia (2);(3);(5) (1);(2) (3);(4);(5);(6)
15 Al-Tarazi 2021 UK (1);(2):(3):(6) (2);(3) (1);(2);(4);(6);(8)
16 Oczentin 2022 Syria (1);(4);(6) (3);(4);(6) (1);(3);(4);(5);(7);(8)
17 Okeyinka 2022 Africa (3);(4);(6) (2);(3):(4) (3);(4);(7);(8)
18 Kottman 2022 Japan (2);(4);(5) (2);(3);(6) (1);(4);(5);(6)
19 Suryadi et al. 2022 Malaysia (1);(4):(6) (6) (5);(8)
20 Soligbo 2022 Australia (1);(4);(6) (1);(2);(3);(4) (1);(2);(5);(6);(8)
21 Abed 2022 Jordan (3);(4);(5);(6) (1);(2) (1);(2);(4);(5);(8)
22 Lordoğlu 2023 Istanbul (2);(3);(4) (3);(4);(6) (1);(4);(6);(7):(8)

The definition of 'home' can be found at the centre of human life and is heavily influenced by the
inhabitants' lived experiences (Watkins, 2005). The interpretation of home inherently varies across
ethnicities and is related to lived experiences and acts of appropriation towards their home
environment.

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3.1 Home in Multi-ethnic Settings: Ethnicity, Practice and Physical Space

Figure 3. Subthemes emerged from content analysis: key factors that influence the meaning of home
by regions (Developed by the Authors).

'Home' is a realm where things are 'culturally and socially bounded' and it becomes 'the centre of our
experience of space' (Case, 1996, p. 2; Woodward, 2003), which induces a sense of ‘home’, either
individually or collectively (Terkenli, 1995). The aspect of home experience is an interaction between
people (individually or in groups), setting (physical space) and time (linear or cyclical) (Case, 1996).
According to Figure 3 above, all reviewed papers from multiple regions interpret home as a dynamic
‘homemaking’ tactic of appropriation and the use of physical space.
From a personal or psychological aspect, home is a psycho-spatial entity and almost all regions
associate home with domestic practices and experiences, the notions of comfort and familiarity and
the need for privacy and refuge (Kottmann, 2022; Lordoğlu, 2022; Özçetin & Rottmann, 2022).
From a social aspect, there is the necessity of a clear gender role and domain within the physical home
setting. Furthermore, cultural adaptation and acceptance within a community are critical for
sustainable living in a multigenerational and multicultural society (Al-Mohannadi et al., 2023;
Okeyinka & Amole, 2012; Soligbo, 2020). As there is a consensus that a physical home is an
environment for socialising (social space), scholars view homes as a socio-spatial entity (Hand et al.,
2007; Morrison, 2013; Woodward, 2003).
The results also revealed that the characteristics of a physical home are equally significant since they
reflect the identity, social group or individual's architectural style and preferences within the self or
self-expression (Ureta, 2007). Thus, home is a space for an expression of feelings involving the
occupants’ mood and desire for personalisation that profoundly impact the psychological mind
(Graham et al., 2015; Rowles, 1983). Emotional appropriation occurs within the home environment
through behavioural tactics such as creating partitions to define boundaries, repainting to suit colour
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preference and incorporating DIY products and material belonging that signify family relationships
and accomplishments (Graham et al., 2015; Mackay & Perkins, 2017; Morrison, 2013).
In other words, the concept of 'home' is a complex amalgamation of people’s perception of space,
experience of space and daily use of space that shaped their meanings and cultural values within it
(Boccagni & Kusenbach, 2020).
In socio-psychology, community living or togetherness within a neighbourhood context is equally vital
to the meaning of 'home' (Soligbo, 2020). The feeling of comfort and safety does not solely rely on the
physical or material structure of a home, but also on the relationships with the family and neighbours
(Abdelmonem, 2012; Soligbo, 2020; Werner et al., 1992).
Researchers also describe home as a social realm defined by their daily interaction with others and
their code of behaviour (Case, 1996, p. 2). It is determined by a belief system that outlines rules and
regulations regarding a way of living, whether individual or part of a congregation, and hence,
influences the home arrangement for psychological well-being (Lah et al., 2015) and socio-cultural
practice (Mohamad, 1992). Sacred rituals, such as praying, religious services and ceremonies, are
actions and activities that can shape the meaning of home as a way to sustain family relationships and
lineage (Hu, 2008).
Malaysian homes, according to Hasniyati (2016), are connected with substantial female participation
in the homemaking process, and the home is described as an emotional appropriation of lived
space evolving around family-centred activities. The 'home' becomes a woman’s domain when a
woman fulfils the nurturing and caring roles that are traditionally associated with mother figures. It is
an emotional attachment an individual has to the meaning of 'home' (Aziz & Ahmad, 2012; Graham et
al., 2015; Zohri, 2010).
Spatial quality and privacy are personal needs and have been significantly discoursed by the Middle-
eastern and Asian scholars in contemporary houses (Al-Mohannadi et al., 2023; Hamid et al., 2017;
Masran, 2019; Rahim & Hashim, 2012; Razali & Talib, 2013). A study in Old Cairo examined how
daily interactions between homes, friends, extended family and the historic neighbourhood affect
people's daily lives. The study developed the idea of multi-use outdoor spaces that are also maintaining
the intangible heritage of sociocultural practices across time. Social interaction occurs in temporal
arrangements resulting in ‘part-time’ space produced according to time, gender associations and social
class activities by its community (Abdelmonem, 2012).
In a quantitative study on space utilisation in a low-cost flat unit, the living hall and kitchen are the
dominant spaces with the highest space integration value to the entrance hall (Suryadi et al., 2022).
From a graphic perspective, the layout appears to provide easy access and better connectivity between
the rooms and space relations. Then again, setting up this inside and outside border varies by ethnicity;
when it is crossed, individuals feel as though their privacy has been invaded (Abed et al., 2022; Musa
et al., 2021).
Today, domestic wares and utensils are replaced with new technology and machinery for comfortable
and compact living. However, from another ethnic perspective, the new machinery may not be a
utilitarian practice to prepare traditional cuisines along with its culinary techniques, particularly within
Eastern cultures (Hand et al., 2007; Zohri, 2010).
The findings support the theory of practice by Certeau (1984a) and Bourdie (1977) that the dynamism
of home practice influences the physical configuration of spaces; constructing an appropriate domestic
space over time in response to personal and social needs is a dynamic 'tactic.'
Home experience is an interaction between people (individually or in groups), setting (physical space)
and time (linear or cyclical). The experience can be enhanced through home practice, which involves
the occupant’s affordance for a place or material belonging, social rules and interactions defined by
their belief system, and the act of appropriation through daily use and way of living (Case, 1996).

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4. Discussion: The Influences of Ethnicity on Physical Spaces
From the results, the concept of home is not only a physical shelter for physiological needs; it also
refers to the practice of 'home', regardless if the home is a concrete structure (e.g. housing), less
concrete (e.g. a neighbourhood or hometown) or something intangible (e.g. a spiritual/personal home).
When a home is perceived as a physical entity, the dynamism of cultural practice inspires human habits
for the appropriation of spaces (Al-Tarazi, 2021).
It is a ‘homemaking’ process between people, physical space and notions of home (Sixsmith, 1986)
that can be formed into a dynamic tactic of ‘creating or making’ spaces (Mallett, 2004), ‘for space is
never empty but embodies meaning’ (Lefebvre, 1991, p. 154). The desire to appropriate or create has
been perceived as an effort to establish social boundaries (Aziz & Ahmad, 2012).
Those who have ‘authority’ of decision in making space hold the power to shape the activities within
spaces as they define home (Mallett, 2004). The following are the aspects of ‘home’ that describe the
relationship between ethnicity, physical space and practice. Hence the definitions can be understood
from this theoretical perspective.

Ethnicity as the social aspect

This element refers to the households’ ethnicity and belief system within the physical space and
describes how people interact with one another within their homes. According to this viewpoint,
ethnicity has the power to impact the configuration of the physical spaces.

Space as the physical aspect

This element refers to a building structure or space in which the social and personal/psychological
aspects may take place. This aspect is the focus of this study since the presence of the other two
elements has the ability to reconfigure and transform it.

Practice as the personal aspect

This aspect focuses on the household’s definition of home. Their home perceptions, experiences and
emotions are a result of household practices that take place inside the actual physical home. Personal
aspects refer to the outcome that we are trying to understand, which alludes to how individuals
constructed meanings and defined spaces as home based on their lived experiences and practices.

Affects
Independent Ethnicity Space
Variable Dependable
(social) (physical) Variable

Cause

Practice
- Psycho-spatial entity
(personal/ -Socio-spatial entity
psychology) - Emotive space

Mediating variable

Figure 4. An initial development of a conceptual framework with combined theories.

(Developed by the authors).
Ph.D Candidate Erna Nuralia Zharani, Prof. Gehan Selim 112
 Journal of Contemporary Urban Affairs, 7(1), 103-121 / 2023
Figure 4 above illustrates an initial conceptual framework describing the cause-effect relationship
between ethnicity, space and practice as initial steps to answer the hypothesis of this paper.
All reviewed papers were examined on how ethnicity influences physical space and how space is
produced culturally. This includes ‘nonspecific-functional spaces’(Hu, 2008), ‘transitory spaces’
(Özçetin & Rottmann, 2022), ‘in-between’ spaces (Masran, 2019), ‘part-time’ spaces (Abdelmonem,
2012) and ‘negotiated’ spaces (Othman, 2014; Rahim & Hashim, 2012), revealing a rich variety of
cultural and social influences in the physical home settings, to which housing policymakers are
oblivious (Abed et al., 2022; Suryadi et al., 2022; Ureta, 2007).
Table 2 below presents the contributions of reviewed papers and their views on home from each
context of their studies.

Table 2. Contribution to the understanding of the meaning of home in multi-ethnic settings.

No. Author Year Region Key Contribution (Space appropriation) Home approach
1 Woodward 2003 Australia Middle-class households placing objects for comfort Psycho-spatial
use or aesthetics and style, create space for socially
mediating symbolic boundaries of self
2 Hand et al. 2005 United A comparison study on the 1980s and small modern Psycho-spatial
Kingdom homes with accumulating domestic technologies.
Modern kitchen becomes a multifunctional space
and the bathroom is multiplying.
3 Hu 2007 China Spatial boundaries: all rooms have multifunctional Socio-spatial
uses across the time and life course of the families:
nonspecific-functional space and family hierarchy.
4 Ureta 2007 Chile DIY: domesticate home strategies on homogeneous Psycho-spatial
spaces for a sense of identity
5 Zohri 2010 Malaysia Flexible expansion system on physical space for Psycho-spatial
privacy and Muslim women's comfort use
6 Rahim and 2012 Malaysia Negotiation/shared space: Living and dining become Socio-spatial
Hashim interchangeable spaces based on affordance

7 Abdelmone 2012 Cairo Part-time space: The use of private/outdoor Socio-spatial

m according to time and social practice
8 Morrison 2013 New Domestic space and material objects embodied the Emotive Space
Zealand intimacy and relationships of a household
9 Othman 2014 Australia In-between space: the balancing factor to provide Psycho-spatial
hospitality and achieve optimum privacy in Muslim
homes
10 Lah et al. 2015 Malaysia Spiritual space: The influence of 'metaphysic' on the Psycho-spatial
design of physical buildings in ancient Asian
cultures
11 Hamzah 2016 Malaysia Feelings, perceptions, relations and attachment to Emotive space
lived space is a homemaking process
12 Omar et al. 2017 Malaysia 'Mirror' arrangement of terrace housing is visually Psycho-spatial
exposing and leads to reconfiguration of home
material

13 Razali and 2017 Malaysia Imbalanced space: the Malay women's domain and Psycho-spatial
Talib visual privacy are conflicted in a tiny flat housing
14 Masran 2019 Malaysia In between space: Home frontage distance to achieve Psycho-spatial
the optimum privacy

15 Al-Tarazi 2021 United Personalising: assessment of human psychological Psycho-spatial

Kingdom well-being in the physical homes and general life
16 Oczentin 2022 Syria Redecorated home in Istanbul and reminisced home Emotive space
in Syria: transitional space for a sense of belonging

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 Journal of Contemporary Urban Affairs, 7(1), 103-121 / 2023
17 Okeyinka 2022 Africa Comfort and security in physical home features are Psycho-spatial
most preferable in the Yoruba culture to develop a
sense of belonging
18 Kottman 2022 Japan ‘New' space of relating and belonging: Emotive space
diversification of living arrangement in 'hyper solo
society' practice
19 Suryadi et 2022 Malaysia Integration of domestic spaces: space connectivity Psycho-spatial
al. and accessibility of dominant spaces
20 Soligbo 2022 Australia Homemaking for migrants in vertical housing and Socio-spatial
seeking a sense of community is a multi-staging
process of home experience
21 Abed 2022 Jordan Home designs with sociocultural considerations Psycho-spatial
produce different architectural forms, it is never a
static home layout.
22 Lordoğlu 2022 Istanbul Gendered space: women conflicts to feel a sense of Emotive space
belonging in the foreign cultural environment

According to the findings, setting boundaries and safety are always associated with the physical aspect
of a home (Abu-Ghazzeh, 2000; Masran, 2019; Woodward, 2003). However, these elements can be
found through the aspects of social and personal needs (Abdelmonem, 2012; Kottmann, 2022;
Woodward, 2003).
For example, a ‘tactic of belonging’ was utilised by Syrian female occupants to recreate kitchen space
in their new homes in Istanbul by placing objects that provide them good use for cooking practice and
memories of their homes in Syria (Özçetin & Rottmann, 2022). This act of demarcation defines a space
for home dwellers as a 'safe' and ‘functional’ place that supports their daily activities and practices
(Kottmann, 2022; Rosbrook & Schweitzer, 2010).
Meanwhile, the spatial meaning of Chinese traditional family dwellings mirrors their family hierarchy
and Confucianism practice. There are numerous courtyards in the traditional Chinese house to
accommodate 4–5 generations of family members. Consequently, maintaining privacy and social
boundaries is possible with wall-segregated areas. However, interestingly, all rooms are multipurpose
and offer flexibility of usage across time and the life course of the family. Except for the kitchen and
main hall, the homes were never functional spaces. The sacred and safest space is for the eldest family
members and is located at the innermost space within this traditional home (Hu, 2008).
All reviewed papers focus on a single ethnic group, a single belief system, social class and migration,
from elderly, gender, student and refugee perspectives. Thus, the outcome discovered few studies on
the cultural practice of multi-ethnic households within a home setting. More research studies on multi-
ethnic homes are required in contemporary housing policy because the primary emphasis is on house
supply, and the design is focused heavily on supplying practical rooms based on population affordance.
(Hamid et al., 2017; Im & Fah, 2018; Suryadi et al., 2022). Therefore, it is vital to develop a conceptual
framework as a guide to explore the meaning of home from this perspective.

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 Journal of Contemporary Urban Affairs, 7(1), 103-121 / 2023
4.1 The Development of Conceptual Framework: The Practice of Home in Multi-Ethnic Settings
(Mediating Variable)
Practice

Home as Emotive Space

Feelings and Perception of Home
(Independent Variable)
(Dependable
Ethnicity Variable)
Physical Home as Psycho-Spatial entity
Malaysian Occupants Configuration of the Home experience
Malay households Home Strategy to appropriate the use
Chinese households (transform existing to Reason to Modify and Adapt
Indian households new spaces) Investment: Cost & Effort

Home as Socio-Spatial entity

Daily use of space and social
relations

Generating cultural values and spatial practice patterns

from multi-ethnic perspectives and their definition of a
home
Figure 5. A Conceptual Framework on the Meaning of Home for Multi-Ethnic Settings
(Developed by the authors).

A new conceptual framework is constructed in Figure 5 utilising all the combined theories on ethnicity,
space and practice, and how they can be applied to an investigation in a multi-ethnic home setting.
The ethnicity of a household is an independent variable that can affect the physical home settings as a
dependable variable over time, experience and appropriation (Easthope, 2004). Each household has a
different set of family structures and belief systems. It is important to identify the target group of a
household structure before conducting an experimental study. In the context of Malaysia, a single
neighbourhood may comprise multi-ethnicities—Malay, Chinese and Indian households. Their belief
system and practices may influence the use of spaces in a home setting.
The practice of home is a mediating variable explaining how and why the effect occurs in the physical
home settings. Based on the literature, this practice can be divided into three parts, following the three
approaches to defining home as ‘emotive space’, ‘socio-spatial entity’ and ‘psycho-spatial entity’
(Easthope, 2004). The first portion examines the occupants’ perceptions and feelings of their homes
due to their experience within their physical homes and the neighbourhoods. The experience depends
on the household structure and belief system that regulates their lifestyle.
The second portion concerns the occupants’ lived experience and way of living, concerning the home
as a psycho-spatial entity. It explores the occupants’ daily use of space and their strategies to
appropriate the house. This section elaborates on the transformability of existing rooms, their
involvement and inspiration to transform spaces, the reason to modify and the effort to produce,
consume and adapt indoor, outdoor and in-between spaces in a home.
The final portion discusses the daily use and social relations of households. This portion focuses on
the use of space in a home, as well as their daily and social activities, which include personal activities
(hobbies or interests), family activities, religious activities, neighbourhood activities and social, and
celebratory activities according to the time of day, weekend and special events (Abdelmonem, 2012;
Al-Mohannadi et al., 2023; Rahim & Hashim, 2012). It is an indication of how frequently they engage
in these activities, as well as what significant activities take place in their homes, a socio-spatial
approach.

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 Journal of Contemporary Urban Affairs, 7(1), 103-121 / 2023
This is a holistic approach to home practice that develops spatial practice patterns to explain how an
ethnicity's ideas, cultural values and practices influence the physical configuration of a home and
regulate its spatial boundaries and privacy. In a multi-ethnic home setting, there is a need to understand
how they perceive each space and in-between space to perform their domestic activities comfortably
and respectably (Abdullah et al., 2022).

5. Conclusion
This article is a review paper that explicitly identifies the meaning of home from multiple regions and
the factors that influence the definition of home from multi-ethnic perspectives. This comprehensive
review identifies that the notion of 'home' is a synthesis of three aspects of home: physical, social and
personal. From an extensive content analysis, subthemes emerged as the factors that influence the
meaning of home from the context study of each publication.
A new conceptual framework introduces three key variables: ethnicity (household structure and belief
system), home practice (emotions, experiences and daily use) and the physical spaces (appropriated or
transformed space) and how the interactions of key variables are applicable to investigate the meaning
of home in a multi-ethnic setting. This study clarifies how people practising and define home as a
dynamic ‘tactic’ of homemaking.
Consequently, this review paper made the following contributions. First, this study is significant for
interweaving the gap between the disciplines of sociology, psychology, emotions, architecture and
urbanism. The purpose of this new framework is to guide research that involves human intervention
in the transformability of spaces and physical settings, which is vast from territorial, psychology, socio-
psychology and phenomenology studies. Hence, this study provides a full grasp of ‘home’, where
physical homes are constantly appropriated inside and outside following the behaviours of occupants
towards their living environment.
Second, the outcome responds to the hypothesis of this paper that each household practises cultural
values, privacy and social boundaries in line with their belief systems, and that reconfiguring a physical
space defines the meaning of home. Most occupants, for example, define home as a 'safe' place, but
how they practice safety in their living environment demonstrates varied interpretations that have yet
to be investigated. Thus, this study suggests further research with households of different belief
systems in a contemporary housing design. This knowledge is vital and can contribute to the
contemporary housing policy that is less attentive to the design of houses with cultural characteristics
for multi-ethnic homes.
Third, this systematic review utilised a qualitative research method. As much as the study revealed a
greater meaning of home, there is a need to examine the methods and tools utilised by related empirical
papers and the outcome of their methods for future investigations.
Lastly, the digital world has opened up a new ‘place’ where people, particularly the young generation,
can find the meaning of ‘home’ virtually. This research focuses on physical places, while social media
platforms are abstract spaces where social and personal needs can be appropriated and evolved for
personal presence, intercultural and social networking and preservation of memories.
Within art and humanities, the new framework is highly recommended to all local architects, designers,
developers and urban planners to guide overall design practices and policies for all housing types. The
purpose is to ensure a comprehensive understanding of the meaning of 'home' incorporating the actual
home practises of occupants within multi-ethnic neighbourhoods or countries, similar to Malaysia.

Acknowledgements
This research is made possible by the Malaysian Ministry of Higher Education and Architecture and
Urbanism Research Group, University of Leeds.

Ph.D Candidate Erna Nuralia Zharani, Prof. Gehan Selim 116

 Journal of Contemporary Urban Affairs, 7(1), 103-121 / 2023
Conflict of Interests
The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Funding
This work was supported by the Malaysian Ministry of Higher Education, Majlis Amanah Rakyat
(MARA) to Erna Zharani.

Data availability statement

The authors confirm that the data supporting the findings of this study are available within the article
[and/or] its supplementary materials.

Credit author statement

Conceptualisation: E.N.Z., G.S. Formal Analysis: E.N.Z., G.S Investigation: E.N.Z. Methodology:
E.N.Z.,G.S Visualization: E.N.Z. Role/Writing: E.N.Z. Review & Editing: E.N.Z.,G.S.

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Ph.D Candidate Erna Nuralia Zharani, Prof. Gehan Selim 120

 Journal of Contemporary Urban Affairs, 7(1), 103-121 / 2023

How to cite this article:

Zharani, E. N. & Selim, G. (2023). A Review of the Meaning of Home in Multi-Ethnic Settings. Journal of Contemporary Urban
Affairs, 7(1), 103-121. https://doi.org/10.25034/ijcua.2023.v7n1-8

Erna Nuralia Zharani, Ph.D(c), Prof. Gehan Selim 121