Righteous Dopefiend by Philippe Bourgois
An immersive photo-ethnography of homeless heroin users in San Francisco, following a close-knit encampment over years to reveal the daily improvisations, fragile alliances, and cycles of addiction that shape life on the street. Through intimate portraits and fieldwork, it traces how poverty, racial segregation, trauma, and punitive drug policies intertwine to produce suffering, while highlighting a moral economy of mutual care amid constant scarcity. The narrative challenges stereotypes, critiques the limits of public health and criminal justice responses, and points toward pragmatic harm-reduction and housing-first strategies.
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- Published
- 2009
- Nationality
- American
- Length
- Moderate
- Pages
- 390-400
- Original Language
- English
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- Alternate Titles
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