rewident

Rewident is a coined term used in speculative fiction and contemporary discourse to describe the act or state of temporarily occupying another person's residence or identity, often via a combination of physical relocation and digital representation. The term is not standardized and has multiple interpretations depending on context. The etymology blends the prefix re-, suggesting repetition or reversal, with resident, and may also echo the idea of re-creating or re-occupying a space.

In fiction and theoretical discussions, rewidents are depicted as individuals who inhabit a different legal or physical location while maintaining their own personal identity, either by consent, by policy mechanisms, or by advanced technologies such as digital twins or identity proxies. These narratives explore questions of privacy, consent, property rights, citizenship, and social trust. In policy and urban studies, writers use the concept to discuss the portability of residency rights, cross-border housing, and the governance of multi-locational living, particularly in contexts of climate displacement or remote work mobility.

Because rewident is a relatively new and debated term, there is no single authoritative definition, and usage varies among authors. The term remains largely within scholarly speculation, fiction, and online commentary rather than formal law or widely adopted practice. Related concepts include resident, residency, digital identity, and concepts of identity reuse or impersonation.