 Relationships Stretched Thin: Social Support Mobilization in PovertyMiranda J. Lubbers, Hugo Valenzuela GarcÃa, Paula Escribano Castaño, José Luis Molina, Antònia Casellas and Jorge Grau Rebollo The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 2020, vol. 689, issue 1, 65-88 Abstract: Research on how the poor “make ends meet†typically shows that they are able to do so by relying on dense support networks of family and close friends. Recent research suggests, however, that these networks play a limited role. This article examines the role of informal networks in how sixty-one households in Barcelona, Spain, cope with poverty. We use a mixed-methods design that combines structured network delineation with semistructured interviews about the processes of support mobilization. Findings show a great variation in network size and resource capacity among households and in the kinds of ties that offer support. Social support was regarded as essential among members of poor households, but mobilized networks were often insufficient for covering even the most basic needs, and prolonged network mobilization could cause strain and long-term conflict. This analysis suggests that support networks may help people to cope with income volatility while simultaneously increasing the potential for social exclusion and isolation. Keywords: personal networks; social support; poverty; reciprocity; relational work; disposable ties (search for similar items in EconPapers) Downloads: (external link) Related works: Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:sae:anname:v:689:y:2020:i:1:p:65-88 Access Statistics for this article More articles in The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science |
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