Social Capital as Resource of Care Practice in Italy: Caregiving and Social Support in Pandemic Time

The studies in the present issue address a relatively understudied area, namely, the ways in which the caregiving function is situated within informal networks, and how the configuration of these networks shapes the well-being of those engaged in caregiving. The research project “Social capital as resource of care practice in Italy: Caregiving and social support in pandemic time”1 attempted to observe how social capital is transformed into support for those who, to various degrees, fulfil the role of informal caregiver. The approach taken to study the support provided to caregivers falls within the scope of relational sociological analysis. We focused not only on the relationships between the caregivers and their supporters but also on the role of caregiving as a specific relationship within a network of informal relationships.