The Cmr research centre led by sociologist Marini analyses the changes taking place in the north-east and identifies a quarter of the population that is ‘vulnerable’ because it has little support to fall back on
Society is changing and is giving the ‘zero-kilometre’ network a go
Who can you turn to when you need help? A survey of people in the Veneto region shows that the only real source of support is family and friends
However, thanks to technology, ‘street-level’ social media is emerging
There is the vast technological network that connects us ever more closely to the whole world, but there is also the network of social relationships on which we truly rely in times of need – and this is shrinking ever further. And the two are intertwining in an unprecedented form of social innovation. ‘Although it is developing quietly and behind the scenes, a new form is emerging, utilising precisely the new communication technologies such as social networks: it is “social welfare” and “do-it-yourself”.’ This is how sociologist Daniele Marini defines it in the new study by the CMR-Community Media Research laboratory, of which he is the scientific director.
