Forgotten Humanity, Relational Poverty, and Homelessness

Abstract

One important concept in the analysis of American attitudes toward those without homes is relational poverty. Having few, if any, ties to other people, especially those people that can provide resources, is a commonly accepted definition of relational poverty, especially for those experiencing homelessness. This essay will expand this definition substantially and will suggest that the housed population in this country bears a significant responsibility for homelessness by forgetting the humanity of those without homes and by continuing to exhibit unwarranted negative attitudes toward the unhoused. In its analysis, this essay explores the dimensions of each of these aspects of relational poverty, their negative impacts, and some possible ways of altering these impacts.