Life and Death in Latin American Cities

The infrastructure of death is an undeniable part of urban life, yet it is often overlooked in the study of cities.

Life and Death in Latin American Cities explores the intricate dynamics between the living and the dead in six Latin American cities: Bogotá, Medellín, Lima, Buenos Aires, Quetzaltenango, and Cuenca. Drawing on more than a decade of ethnographic research, the author investigates how urban death infrastructures — such as cemeteries and spaces for the deceased — are shaped by rapid urbanisation, legacies of violence, neoliberal policies, and alternative spiritual practices.

With a fresh Global South perspective, this unique contribution will challenge the boundaries of death studies, placing the infrastructure of death at the heart of urban life.