Who Is My Neighbor? Catholic Social Teaching and the California Housing Crisis by Patrick Caslin

My capstone project analyses the California housing crisis through the lens of Catholic Social Teaching.  My home state of California has the highest poverty rate of any state once cost of living is taken into account, in large part due to the exorbitant cost of housing in the state.  I treat the housing crisis as primarily a problem of solidarity and discuss how NIMBY (not in my back yard) movements that oppose the construction of new affordable housing reject the very idea of solidarity as a concrete expression of love for one’s neighbor.  Ultimately, my paper develops a six-part framework for considering housing issues in light of Catholic Social Teaching. These six principles are: the recognition of housing as a human right, the option for the poor, a commitment to anti-racism, care for Creation, a proper understanding of subsidiarity, and a politics of neighborliness and community-building.

Patrick Caslin
Major: Political Science, Applied & Comp Math & Stats (Supp.), Other Minors & Programs: AL/SC Honors Program

Capstone Paper, Patrick Caslin
Capstone Presentation, Patrick Caslin