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Relational Vulnerability: Economic, Psychological, Spatial

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Relational Vulnerability

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Abstract

This chapter develops the concept of relational vulnerability further, arguing that it consists of three intersecting strands of harm: economic, psychological, and spatial. These fluctuate throughout the dependency-worker’s lifetime and can become particularly acute when she reaches old age. Economic harms occur when the dependency-worker has reduced access to resources, which can occur even if the family unit itself appears self-sufficient. Psychological harm can result from the dependency-worker lacking bargaining power within the family, often as a result of her reduced economic status. Finally, spatial harm refers to the dependency-worker’s potentially precarious relationship to her home. If her relationship breaks down, the dependency-worker’s reduced earning power may cause her to struggle to find an alternative home.

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    Ellen Gordon-Bouvier

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Gordon-Bouvier, E. (2020). Relational Vulnerability: Economic, Psychological, Spatial. In: Relational Vulnerability. Palgrave Socio-Legal Studies. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-61358-7_3

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