Bodies in San Francisco
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https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0005-3941
Abstract
An ethnographic reflection examines the stark juxtaposition of extreme wealth and human destitution in San Francisco, one of the world’s most affluent metropolitan areas. Through firsthand observation during the Latin American Studies Association (LASA) conference, the author documents the visible manifestation of homelessness in a city where per capita production reaches $145.000 dollars. Data collected by the city counts 8.323 homeless individuals in 2024. Chronic homelessness disproportionately affects African American and Hispanic populations, with underlying factors including job loss, eviction, family dissolution, and histories of foster care. Beyond simplistic explanations attributing homelessness solely to mental health or substance abuse, the text argues instead that the phenomenon represents a fundamental political failure of the state to protect vulnerable bodies despite sufficient economic resources. Homelessness is not an inevitable consequence of capitalism. Successful welfare state models suggest evidence that political will, rather than economic constraints, is what determines social outcomes.
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homelessness, inequality, urban, embodiment, San Francisco
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