In the last years, it is well established that young people rely on families more than ever, particularly in countries with a familialistic welfare state - such as Italy- where families play the main role in providing care and support to its members throughout the whole life course (Saraceno 2003). In a context of worsening global economic crisis and increasing cut in welfare expenses, the role of parents and grandparents is one of fundamental importance in supporting young adults housing transitions (which suffer from the structural lack of adequate public policies), through both intergenerational transmission of wealth and informal support (Poggio 2012, Filandri & Bertolini 2016). Recent studies focused on different kind of support and practices of negotiations within families with different socio-economical backgrounds, yet just a few research overtly take into account less advantaged contexts, such as working classes contexts (Holdsworth 2004; Brannen 2006; Helderman & Mulder 2007). The concept of ‘working classes’ will be here used critically, as an analytical tool to approach the empirical study of a social reality where processes of class dis-identification are at work (Irwin 2015), investigating how structural constraints influence the individual experiences of social locations. The chapter moves from a retrospective longitudinal qualitative research carried out in Bologna (North Italy) in 2013-2014. Interviewing both young adults and their parents allowed us to enter the ‘black box’ of working classes families’ attitudes and practices, and better understand individual and structural factors affecting young people housing options. It aims to analyze how working classes mobilise their (relatively few) resources (economic, cultural and social capital), managing to support their adult children’ transitions towards independent living in a context of economic downturn and welfare retrenchment, and how different types of support are represented and negotiate by parents and children.
De Luigi N., M.E. (2018). Young people and housing transitions: moral obligations of intergenerational support in an Italian working classes context. Londra : Routledge.
Young people and housing transitions: moral obligations of intergenerational support in an Italian working classes context
De Luigi N.
;
2018
Abstract
In the last years, it is well established that young people rely on families more than ever, particularly in countries with a familialistic welfare state - such as Italy- where families play the main role in providing care and support to its members throughout the whole life course (Saraceno 2003). In a context of worsening global economic crisis and increasing cut in welfare expenses, the role of parents and grandparents is one of fundamental importance in supporting young adults housing transitions (which suffer from the structural lack of adequate public policies), through both intergenerational transmission of wealth and informal support (Poggio 2012, Filandri & Bertolini 2016). Recent studies focused on different kind of support and practices of negotiations within families with different socio-economical backgrounds, yet just a few research overtly take into account less advantaged contexts, such as working classes contexts (Holdsworth 2004; Brannen 2006; Helderman & Mulder 2007). The concept of ‘working classes’ will be here used critically, as an analytical tool to approach the empirical study of a social reality where processes of class dis-identification are at work (Irwin 2015), investigating how structural constraints influence the individual experiences of social locations. The chapter moves from a retrospective longitudinal qualitative research carried out in Bologna (North Italy) in 2013-2014. Interviewing both young adults and their parents allowed us to enter the ‘black box’ of working classes families’ attitudes and practices, and better understand individual and structural factors affecting young people housing options. It aims to analyze how working classes mobilise their (relatively few) resources (economic, cultural and social capital), managing to support their adult children’ transitions towards independent living in a context of economic downturn and welfare retrenchment, and how different types of support are represented and negotiate by parents and children.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
