Even more in the pandemic and social emergency: for an individual welfare beyond the family and the community

ABSTRACT

In many welfare regimes, families and communities are often considered as social policy solutions to the extent that they are called into action to provide support and care services. The resort to ‘family’ and ‘community’ seems to contrast the atomization of today’s society, but it entails two risks: first, the privatization of welfare; second, the exclusion of the most fragile and needy people, as well as individuals without a network. The COVID-19 pandemics have made these risks even more evident: the crisis has exacerbated the centrality of informal networks in producing welfare services and helps. These are the reasons why it is necessary to reflect on the need to primarily develop an individual – rather than a family and community – welfare.

KEYWORDS:

• Individual welfare
• family welfare
• community welfare
• COVID-19 pandemic crisis

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No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Laura Cataldi

Laura Cataldi, PhD in Political Studies, is a postdoctoral researcher at the Department of Cultures, Politics and Society of the University of Turin. As temporary professor, she taught ‘Governing Cities’, ‘Public Administration’, and ‘Public Local Governance’. Her research interests concern: participatory processes; deliberative democracy; co-production; social policies and welfare transformations; management of social services; administrative narratives; and professionalism.

Francesca Tomatis

Francesca Tomatis, PhD in Economic Sociology and Labour Studies. She has a research grant on gender gap in academia at the Department of Cultures, Politics and Society of the University of Turin. Her research interests concern: fertility; family dynamics; women’s employment and education; gender relations; and family policies.

Giuliana Costa

Giuliana Costa, PhD in Sociology, is Associate Professor at the Department of Architecture and Urban Studies at the Politecnico di Milano. She teaches in the Planning Bachelor and in the Architecture Master courses. Her research interests concern: social policies at the local level; comparative welfare issues; housing and welfare solutions; ageing and long-term care.