1
* Co espondence o: Jose San iago. Depa amen o de Sociología Aplicada. Facul ad de Ciencias Polí icas y Sociología. Uni e sidad Complu ense de Mad id. Cam-
pus de Somosaguas, s.n. (28223 Pozuelo de Ala cón-Mad id) – [email p o ec ed] – h p://o cid.o g/0000-0002-6894-3115.
How o ci e: San iago, Jose (2024). «Exis en ial conce ns and suppo s. An in es iga ion in o ulne abili y». Papeles del CEIC, ol. 2024/1, papel 298, 1-17.
(h p://doi.o g/10.1387/pceic.25840).
Recei ed: 2023, decembe / Accep ed: 2024, eb ua y.
ISSN 1695-6494 / © 2024 UPV/EHU
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Papeles del CEIC, 2024/1
h p://doi.o g/10.1387/pceic.25840
ISSN 1695-6494
Ex i s E n i a l c o n c E n s a n d s u p p o s .
an in Es iga ion i n o u l n E a b i l i y 1
Inquie udes exis enciales y sopo es.
Una in es igación sob e ulne abilidad
Jose San iago*
Uni e sidad Complu ense de Mad id-Ins i u o TRANSOC
Keywo ds
Exis en ial conce ns
Rela ionship o he wo ld
Suppo s
Vulne abili y
Abs Ac : Wi hin he amewo k o he de ence o a sociology o he ela ionship
o he wo ld, his a icle seeks o analyse he exis en ial discom o s and conce ns ex-
pe ienced by indi iduals in si ua ions o ulne abili y, as well as he socio-exis en ial
suppo s ha enable hem o sus ain hemsel es when he suppo o wo k is los o
weakened. To his end, he a icle mobilises empi ical ma e ial om esea ch ca ied
ou h ough in-dep h in e iews and discussion and eedback g oups. Speci ically, his
esea ch ocuses on h ee g oups: young people, unemployed people aged o e 45,
and amily ne wo k women ca e s, all o hem in a si ua ion o ulne abili y. We o e
a di e en ia ed analysis o he main exis en ial discom o s and conce ns expe ienced
by each o hese g oups, as well as he main socio-exis en ial suppo s ha allow hem
o sus ain hemsel es in hei daily li es. This a icle hus aims o make a heo e ical
and empi ical con ibu ion o he de elopmen o bo h a sociology o he ela ionship
o he wo ld and a sociology o suppo s.
Palab as cla e
Inquie udes exis enciales
Relación con el mundo
Sopo es
Vulne abilidad
Resumen: En el ma co de la de ensa de una sociología de la elación con el mundo,
es e a ículo busca analiza los males a es e inquie udes exis enciales que expe imen-
an los indi iduos que se encuen an en si uación de ulne abilidad, así como los so-
po es socio-exis enciales que les pe mi en sos ene se cuando el sopo e del abajo
se pie de o se debili a. Pa a ello, el a ículo mo iliza ma e ial empí ico p oceden e de
una in es igación ealizada median e en e is as en p o undidad, g upos de discusión
y g upos de es i ución. En conc e o, es a in es igación se cen a en es colec i os: jó-
enes, pe sonas desempleadas mayo es de 45 años y muje es cuidado as de la ed a-
milia , odos ellos en si uación de ulne abilidad. O ecemos un análisis di e enciado
un análisis di e enciado de los p incipales males a es e inquie udes exis enciales que
expe imen a cada uno de es os g upos, así como de los p incipales sopo es socio-
exis enciales que les pe mi en sos ene se en sus idas co idianas. De es e modo, con
es e a ículo se pe sigue hace una con ibución eó ica y empí ica al desa ollo an o
de una sociología de la elación con el mundo como de una sociología de los sopo es.
1 We would like o hank he e iewe s, hei commen s helped us imp o e he a icle. Resea ch o his a icle
was made possible by he publicly unded Resea ch, De elopmen and Inno a ion (RDI) p ojec , “New o ms o
socio-exis en ial ulne abili y, suppo s and ca e in Spain” (VULSOCU) [CSO2016-76179-R] (AEI/FEDER, EU).
Jose San iago
2 Papeles del CEIC, 2024/1, 1-17
1. In oduc Ion
The analysis o exis en ial ques ions has been neglec ed in he sociological adi ion. Two
ypes o causes may accoun o his. On he one hand, he in ellec ual cons uc ion o he
idea o socie y, wi h which, as Ma uccelli (2007) has poin ed ou , he hegemonic sociological
adi ion b ough he cha ac e is ic o he mode n social condi ion, he unb idgeable dis ance
be ween he subjec i e and he objec i e, be ween he indi idual and he wo ld, he sou ce o
exis en ial conce ns, back in o a ha monious analy ical o ali y. On he o he hand, and in e-
la ion o his idea o socie y, he sociological ocus o a en ion was cen ed on ma e ial in e -
es s and ideas, lea ing ou , o subo dina ing o hem, he analysis o he exis en ial sensibili ies
ha a e his o ically shaped (Rosa, 2019: 46). Rosa’s p oposals a e pa icula ly ui ul o a soci-
ological analysis o hese exis en ial ques ions. Today, i is inc easingly necessa y o de elop a
sociology o he ela ionship o he wo ld ha accoun s o hese exis en ial conce ns and dis-
com o s as a esul o a ious p ocesses o social change and he conca ena ion o c ises.
Based on he hypo hesis ha con empo a y si ua ions o ulne abili y cause a p oblema ic
ela ionship o he wo ld, in his a icle we explo e p ecisely his ela ionship be ween ul-
ne abili y and ela ionships o he wo ld. We a gue ha i is necessa y o de elop a sociology
o ela ionship o he wo ld ha add esses bo h si ua ions o ulne abili y and he suppo s
ha allow he indi iduals o sus ain hemsel es in hei daily li es. To his end, his a icle is
s uc u ed as ollows: i s ly, we de end he need o he de elopmen o a sociology o he
ela ionship o he wo ld because la e mode n socie ies s uc u ally p oduce expe iences o
ulne abili y ha gene a e exis en ial conce ns and discom o s. We will hen ocus on sup-
po s, explo ing hei ela ionship o ulne abili y, and hei ma e ial and socio-exis en ial di-
mensions. The hi d pa is de o ed o p esen ing he me hodology and he ieldwo k ca ied
ou . Subsequen ly we will show he empi ical esea ch wi h wo sec ions de o ed o analys-
ing he e ec s o ulne abili y on p oblema ic ela ionships o he wo ld and he a ious so-
cio-exis en ial suppo s wi h which indi iduals sus ain hemsel es in hei daily li es. The a i-
cle closes wi h a sec ion o conclusions.
2. Fo A socIology oF he elA IonshIP o he wo ld
In his book Resonance, he Ge man philosophe Rosa encou ages us o enew he sociologi-
cal imagina ion by shi ing ou gaze o a e ain li le explo ed by his discipline: he ways in
which one expe iences and posi ions onesel wi h espec o he wo ld, he quali y o one’s
app op ia ion o he wo ld (2019: 20). To his end, Rosa is encou aging he de elopmen o a
sociology o he ela ionship o he wo ld wi h which o answe a ques ion ha sociology is e-
luc an o ask as i conside s ha i is no pa o i s compe ence: wha does a good li e con-
sis o and why don’ we ha e one? Wi h his app oach, we a e con on ed wi h he quali y o
he ela ionship be ween indi iduals and he wo ld: o wha ex en do people ha e a success-
ul ela ionship o he wo ld, in which i is kind and welcoming, o , on he con a y, do hey
ha e ailed li es, expe iencing he wo ld as h ea ening, aliena ing and lacking in esonance?
Rosa hus in i es us o e u n sociologically o he app oaches o he philosophy o exis ence,
along he lines o Heidegge , who, in Being and Time, e e ed o he ac ha human beings
a e h own in o he wo ld. F om he e, Rosa con as s wo ways o ela ing o he wo ld. In
Exis en ial conce ns and suppo s. An in es iga ion in o ulne abili y
h p://doi.o g/10.1387/pceic.25840 3
one, he indi idual is h own o exposed and he wo ld is expe ienced as aliena ing and cold.
In he o he , on he con a y, he indi idual eels ca ied, suppo ed, shel e ed and p o ec ed,
expe iencing he wo ld as a wa m and esonan place. One o Rosa’s heses in his ega d is
ha la e mode ni y has c ea ed he condi ions o possibili y o he wo ld o be expe ienced
in he o me way due o he p ocess o accele a ion ha p oduces aliena ing ways o ela -
ing o hings, space, ac ions, ime and o he s (Rosa, 2016). Beyond his diagnosis, wha we a e
in e es ed in escuing om Rosa is his p oposal o de elop a sociology ha is a en i e o he
exis en ial ques ions and sensibili ies ha a e his o ically shaped.
Like Rosa, Ma uccelli is also an ad oca e o a sociology ha looks in o exis en ial ques ions
because ( he) ek-sis e e, he eeling o being ou side, h own, exposed, no longe e e s only
o he human condi ion and i s an h opological in a ian s (anguish, dea h), bu conce ns a
much la ge numbe o social expe iences, whe e indeed, and in a mo e o less cen al way,
indi iduals expe ience, in di e en ways, exis en ial conce n (Ma uccelli, 2011: 26). A sociol-
ogy a en i e o exis en ial ques ions mus he e o e accoun o he a ious ways o expe i-
encing hese exis en ial conce ns, no only as he esul o human na u e as he philosophy
o exis ence did, bu also as he esul o social ela ions a a gi en socio-his o ical momen .
I he mode n social condi ion could ha e been he spu o he de elopmen o a sociology o
he ela ionship o he wo ld, which he idea o socie y, howe e , pu a s op o, oday his en-
e p ise is e en mo e p essing because o some decades now socie y has been p oducing in-
di iduals di e en ly, gene a ing new o ms o socio-exis en ial ulne abili y ha gi e ise o
socio-exis en ial discom o s and conce ns.
3. suPPo s hA sus AIn exIs ence
In o de o accoun o he quali y o ou ela ionship o he wo ld, i is undamen al o pay a -
en ion o he socio-exis en ial suppo s ha allow he indi idual o eel ca ied, suppo ed,
shel e ed and p o ec ed. This is pa icula ly impo an in si ua ions o ulne abili y. In ac ,
o speak o ulne abili y inexo ably b ings us back o he no ion o suppo s. Fo Cas el, he
suppo s a e he objec i e condi ions o possibili y o cons i u ing onesel as an indi idual:
The e is no indi idual wi hou suppo s. Mo e speci ically, he poin s ou ha o speak o sup-
po in his sense is o speak o ‘ esou ces’ o ‘capi als’ in Bou dieu’s sense; i is he capaci y o
ha e ese es ha can be ela ional, cul u al, economic, e c., and ha a e he ounda ions on
which he possibili y o de eloping indi idual s a egies can es (Cas el & Ha oche, 2001: 30).
In his in e p e a i e amewo k, Cas el sees ha he main suppo in wage socie ies is p o-
ided by wo k and he social p o ec ions associa ed wi h i .
Wha happens hen when he wo k is los o becomes agile? Cas el was awa e ha he c i-
sis o he wage socie y leads o a g ea e numbe o indi iduals needing o he suppo s han
wo k and he p o ec ions linked o i (2010: 294-295). Howe e , by his own admission, his o-
cus on he wage socie y did no lead him o analyse o he ypes o suppo . This is why i is be-
coming inc easingly u gen o sociology o pay mo e a en ion o he di e si y o suppo s
and he way hey ope a e. In his sense, he p oposals o Ma uccelli, whose pe spec i e is
linked o Cas el’s in main aining ha he e is no indi idual wi hou suppo s, a e o eno mous
alue: he indi idual is app ehensible only om (a) se o suppo s, ma e ial and symbolic, ac-
i ely s uc u ed o passi ely su e ed, always eal in hei e ec s and wi hou which, p op-
Jose San iago
4 Papeles del CEIC, 2024/1, 1-17
e ly speaking, he ac o would no exis (2007: 77). Bu , o Ma uccelli, hese suppo s mus
be esea ched wi h bo h a sociological analysis and an exis en ial analysis, hence he need o
s udy no only he economic and poli ical suppo s, bu also he suppo s o socio-exis en ial
con en . Suppo s which, unlike Cas el, a e no only capi al o esou ces a ailable o he indi-
idual and which con e p o ec ion, because, al hough hey can be mobilised on ce ain oc-
casions as capi al, hei mode o ope a ion is di e en , as shown by he ac ha hey a e no
necessa ily unde he con ol o indi iduals, eady o be mobilised. As Ma uccelli poin s ou ,
he no ion o suppo s hus aims a g asping ( he) he e ogeneous se s o eal o imagina y
elemen s, which en ail di e en le els o implica ion depending on he si ua ions and p ac-
ices, ha which enables indi iduals o be sus ained because hey a e suppo ed, and sup-
po ed because hey a e sus ained in he mids o social li e (ibídem: 81).
The u n ha Ma uccelli p oposes in o de o accoun o he suppo s om a socio-exis en-
ial analysis akes on i s ull ele ance i we e u n o he social ans o ma ions o he las
decades. The c isis o he idea o socie y means ha indi iduals need o do mo e wo k on
hemsel es, since social posi ions do no sus ain hem, no do ins i u ions p o ide hem wi h
subs an i e p og ammes o ac ion as in he pas . This is e lec ed in a new exis en ial pe iod,
in which exis en ial conce ns and discom o s ha e a mo e i al, mo e ene ge ic con en ,
which e e s us o how indi iduals sus ain hemsel es in hei daily li es, wha do hey ely on
o ac ? (Ma uccelli, 2014).
These suppo s o socio-exis en ial con en a e o i al impo ance o e e y indi idual, as hey
a e hei own condi ion o possibili y, bu hey ake on a speci ic p o ile, mo e isible and pe -
haps mo e d ama ic, o people who ha e seen he suppo o wo k los o weakened. How do
hey sus ain hemsel es in hei daily li es? Wha do hey ely on o ac ? Fo he issue a hand,
i is he e o e necessa y o pay a en ion o he ins umen al and s a egic cha ac e o he
suppo s ha can be o i al impo ance as a social bu e o p e en p eca iousness in imes
o c isis, as some wo ks ha ha e mobilised he ca ego y o wo ks (Joube , 2003) ha e done.
Howe e , ollowing Ma uccelli’s c i ique o his ype o wo k, i is also necessa y o pay a en-
ion o he socio-exis en ial componen o he suppo s, which a e no always mobilised s a-
egically and o en ope a e in zones o chia oscu o o ou consciousness (2007: 94-95).
Be o e p oceeding, i is necessa y o poin ou ha he heo e ical app oach o his a icle is o
an explo a o y na u e, as i seeks o combine Rosa’s sociology o ou ela ionship o he wo ld
wi h he sociology o suppo s de eloped by Ma uccelli. Ce ainly, he dep h o hei espec-
i e heo e ical amewo ks canno be add essed exhaus i ely in his a icle. The e a e, a e all,
impo an di e ences be ween hei wo ks. Ne e heless, we would a gue ha hey a e con-
e gen , as bo h conside he exis en ial implica ions o e looked by he sociological adi ion.
As we no ed abo e, ou aim in his pape is o explo e in wha ways, in o de o accoun o he
quali y o ou ela ionship o he wo ld, i is undamen al o pay a en ion o he socio-exis en-
ial suppo s ha allow he indi idual o eel ca ied, suppo ed, shel e ed and p o ec ed.
4. Me hodology
We ha e ocused ou a en ion on g oups in si ua ions o ulne abili y de i ed om he so-
cial ques ion (San iago, 2021). In o he wo ds, we ha e ocused on popula ion s a a wi h p e-
Exis en ial conce ns and suppo s. An in es iga ion in o ulne abili y
h p://doi.o g/10.1387/pceic.25840 5
ca ious economic si ua ions (unemploymen , wi h exi s and en ances o he labou ma ke ,
low wages, low o non-exis en social p o ec ion). In o de o delimi he zone o ulne abili y
e e ed o by Cas el (1995) as ha be ween he p o ec ed sec o s and hose in po e y, we
ha e used an income indica o , se a a ound 60% o he median, which ma ks he line o el-
a i e po e y. This income indica o was se aking in o accoun he consump ion uni o he
selec ed pe son’s household. We he e o e use he equi alen household income, which al-
lows us o s anda dise households acco ding o he numbe o equi alen consump ion uni s
ha compose i . The economies o scale ha occu when household membe s sha e hei in-
come we e hus conside ed. To ope a ionalise i , we use he modi ied OECD scale, which as-
signs a weigh o 1 o he i s adul , a weigh o 0.5 o o he adul s and a weigh o 0.3 o chil-
d en unde 14.
The a ge popula ions we e young people aged 25-35, pe sons aged o e 45 (wi h a maxi-
mum o 59) and amily ne wo k women ca e ake s aged 30-64. Ou s a ing hypo hesis was
ha , gi en hei si ua ions o ulne abili y, hey we e de eloping exis en ial conce ns and
discom o s ha dese ed o be analysed. In he case o young people, he yea ning o in-
dependence and au onomy o build hei own p ojec becomes a u u e ha ne e comes,
making he ansi ion o adul hood di icul . Fo he o e -45s, job loss and/o job ins abili y
b ings wi h i a consequen c isis o employmen suppo s, which can ansla e in o a eeling
o subjec i e des uc ion. Finally, amily women ca e ake s, who o en become so as a esul
o a si ua ion o economic p eca iousness ha makes hem ake on he ca e o amily mem-
be s. The consequence is ha hey become mo e socio-exis en ially ulne able.
In he selec ion o he popula ions o be s udied, we ha e also aken in o accoun he social
class backg ound. We hus aimed o analyse he e ec o downwa d social mobili y on expe-
iences o ulne abili y. Fo his pu pose, we conside in e gene a ional mobili y in he case
o young people and in agene a ional mobili y o hose aged 45 and o e . To selec people
om uppe -middle class backg ounds, we ook in o accoun a ious c i e ia om he li e a-
u e on social class, which we inally edi ec ed o occupa ion and income (o he pa en s in
he case o young people, be o e being in a ulne able si ua ion in he case o he o e 45s).
The occupa ion equi ed ins i u ionalised cul u al capi al a uni e si y le el o be able o be
exe cised. As a as income is conce ned, in line wi h o he s udies, a ange be ween 130%
and 160% o he median was es ablished.
Along wi h age and social class, he o he socio-demog aphic a iable ha has occupied a
cen al place in he design o he ieldwo k is gende , gi en he di e en ial i shows in he ex-
pe iences o ulne abili y, mo e so i i is pu in ela ion o he suppo s. The ep esen a ion
o he sel -made man has ypically been o men sus ained by a ne wo k o suppo and ca e,
which, howe e , we e made in isible. This enables he ic ion o he sel -made man, which
s ill su i es oday, as we will see in he analysis o he empi ical ma e ial.
The ieldwo k was ca ied ou be ween 2018 and 2021. In 2018 and 2019, discussion g oups
and in e iews we e conduc ed espec i ely in he ci ies o Mad id, Se ille, Bilbao, G anada,
Alme ia and Ca bone as ( u al a ea in he p o ince o Alme ia). The discussion g oups (DGs)
comp ising 7-8 people we e as ollows. Fou g oups o people o e 45 (wi h a maximum
age o 59): men om wo king class backg ounds (Bilbao); women om wo king class back-
g ounds (Mad id); men om uppe -middle class backg ounds (Mad id); and women om
uppe -middle class backg ounds (Se ille). Th ee g oups we e ca ied ou wi h young people:
mixed aged 30-35 om uppe -middle class backg ounds and uni e si y g adua es (Mad id);
Jose San iago
6 Papeles del CEIC, 2024/1, 1-17
women aged 25-30 (Bilbao) and men aged 25-30 (Se ille), in bo h cases om wo king class
backg ounds and wi hou a uni e si y deg ee. Two g oups we e composed o amily ne wo k
women ca e ake s: aged 30-50 (G anada) and aged 51-64 (Mad id). The in e iews we e ca -
ied ou in he municipali ies men ioned abo e, excep in G anada. Those ha ha e been an-
alysed o his a icle a e dis ibu ed as ollows: wen y- wo o people o e 45; nine een o
young people aged 25-35; and i een o ca e ake s aged 30-64.
Following he analysis o he empi ical ma e ial om he discussion g oups and in e iews,
we p oceeded o conduc 7 eedback g oups (FGs) wi h people who had pa icipa ed in he
discussion g oups and in e iews. Wi h hese g oups, inspi ed by he sociological in e en-
ion g oups o Alain Tou aine’s school, he aim was o e u n he i s esul s o he analysis
o he g oups being esea ched, as well as o exchange he iews o ac o s and esea che s
in o de o help in ca ying ou a inal analysis as a esul o he co-p oduc ion o knowledge
(Cousin & Rui, 2010; Wie io ka, 2008: 147-152). The eedback g oups we e conduc ed online
due o he co ona i us pandemic. They consis ed o 3 o 4 pa icipan s and hei composi ion
was as ollows. Th ee g oups o olde unemployed people o e 45 yea s o age: wo g oups o
men om wo king class backg ounds and a hi d g oup o women om uppe -middle class
backg ounds. Two g oups we e ca ied ou wi h young people: one mixed g oup wi h young
people aged 30-35 om uppe -middle class backg ounds and uni e si y g adua es, and he
o he wi h women aged 25-30 om wo king class backg ounds and wi hou a uni e si y de-
g ee. Two g oups we e composed o amily ne wo k women ca e ake s. All he people who
pa icipa ed in he ieldwo k ga e hei in o med consen .
5. Vulne AbIlI y And P obleMA Ic elA Ions o he wo ld
Si ua ions o ulne abili y o en gi e ise o a e y p oblema ic ela ionship o he wo ld, in
which he wo ld is expe ienced as hos ile and cold. Li e can become a bu den o bea and he
indi idual can eel des oyed, h own away as i he o she is wo hless. This was exp essed in
one o he discussion g oups wi h unemployed men o e 45 yea s old:
I I am wo king, I eel ul illed, I eel good, I ha e an ac i i y, I ha e some hing o do.
Doing no hing is o e whelming. All o us he e know ha . You’ e a home, you’ e
in bed. Bu whe e e you a e, you s a o do you head in, you’ e o e whelmed,
you eel like a w eck, you eel in a nu shell like piece o shi . (DG. Men aged o e 45.
Wo king-class o igin)
I is no coincidence ha his man e e s o his bed and his house, which a e conside ed o be
places whe e we eel mo e shel e ed, less exposed, in sho , less ulne able. The loss o wo k
gi es ise o a p oblema ic ela ionship o he wo ld. No doub in his case Cas el’s cha ac e i-
sa ion o indi iduals by de aul i s pe ec ly wi h hese unemployed men, who ha e los no
only hei economic suppo , bu also hei exis en ial suppo o he i s o de : «Unemploy-
men a ec s all people no only as an economic issue, bu as a ques ion o saying well, wha
do I do now wi h my li e» (FG. Men aged o e 45. Uppe -middle class o igin). Fo hese men,
wo k has allowed hem o s uc u e hei daily li es in such a way ha when hey lose i , hey
also lose he ou ine o ge ing up in he mo ning o wo k... hey don’ know wha o do wi h
hei li es, hey don’ know wha o do (FG. Men aged o e 45. Uppe -middle class o igin).
Exis en ial conce ns and suppo s. An in es iga ion in o ulne abili y
h p://doi.o g/10.1387/pceic.25840 7
To ully unde s and he exis en ial discom o and subjec i e des uc ion o hese unem-
ployed people, i is necessa y o look a he social no m o Fo dis employmen in which hey
we e socialised and a he amily model, in which he dis ibu ion o asks and oles was de-
ined in e ms o gende . The loss o employmen leads hese unemployed people o ace a
pos -Fo dis and lexible labou ma ke con ex a an ad anced age, whe e age is seen as a
handicap. Added o his is he loss o he ole o he b eadwinne . Losing one’s job means no
only he loss o p o ec ion and economic well-being, bu also he loss o ecogni ion and sel -
es eem. As poin ed ou by Paugam (2012), social bonds s uc u e wo dimensions: p o ec ion
and ecogni ion. I p o ec ion e e s o economic and poli ical suppo s, ecogni ion e e s
o he gaze o he o he , which p o ides p oo o hei exis ence. This is why he loss o wo k,
which some imes leads o he up u e o social ies, leads o a si ua ion o ulne abili y ha a -
ec s p o ec ion and ecogni ion: «The socially disquali ied man is bo h ulne able in he ace
o he u u e and c ushed by he weigh o he nega i e gaze ha o he s p ojec on him» (Pau-
gam, 2012: 18).
The discom o expe ienced by he young people who pa icipa ed in ou ieldwo k is di e -
en . Many o hem also expe ience hei li es wi h g ea exis en ial discom o and e e o a
eeling o subjec i e des uc ion: «I eel ha oday (my li e) doesn’ ha e a signi ican alue o
I can’ ind my way, and o cou se, ha lea es you wi h a lo o unce ain y and you say, Damn,
my li e is shi » (Man, 31 yea s old. Uppe -middle class o igin). In he case o many young peo-
ple, hei exis en ial discom o is no he esul o eeling ha hey ha e been h own ou o
he wo ld as a esul o job loss, bu a he he opposi e, o no inding hei place in he wo ld:
My dep essions and my lows had mo e o do wi h ha p essu e o : you’ e 26, you’ e
28 o you’ e 29 and you’ e in a place whe e you shouldn’ be. Tha p essu e om
ou side, you’ e kind o a a s age ha you should ha e passed. (DG. Mixed young
people aged 30-35. Uppe -middle class o igin)
The eeling o being exposed o being hu , he eeling o ulne abili y in sho , is e y p esen
in many young people, who eel ha hei li es a e subjec o unce ain y and a he me cy o
a ious dange s:
The hing is ha I’m d eaming like I’m in a supe quie place, like in a pa k and so on,
bu always in a place nea he wa e , and suddenly someone says sunami!, and a
sunami comes, bu a sunami ha you can’ belie e... ake a look a wha I d eam;
I’m li ing i . (DG. Young women aged 25-30. Wo king-class o igin)
The eeling ha he wo ld is no p o ec ing and shel e ing us as i should akes on a unique
cha ac e o young people om he middle classes and wi h a uni e si y deg ee. These a e
people who a e expe iencing downwa d social mobili y in a socio-his o ical con ex ha has
changed om he one in which hey we e socialised in hei s uden yea s. The ideal o me i-
oc acy and oca ional de elopmen begins o show i s weaknesses, and, wi h his, he us-
a ion o no being able o each he expec a ions in which hey we e socialised g ows. The
eali y check makes hem no ind hei place in he wo ld and eel ha hey a e no going o
ge anywhe e, ha hey a e no going o make i :
I hink I’m no going o make i ... I mean, ake on boa d ha you’ e no going o be
wha you hough you we e going o be (...) I say i and i seems ha I ag ee wi h wha
I’m saying bu in eali y I don’ , he e a e many imes ha his also gene a es a lo o
anxie y o me. (DG. Mixed young people aged 30-35. Uppe -middle class o igin)
Jose San iago
8 Papeles del CEIC, 2024/1, 1-17
Exis en ial conce ns and discom o s ake a di e en u n o women amily ne wo k ca e-
ake s. Many o hem ha e become ca e ake s as a consequence o a p eca ious si ua ion,
such as he loss o a job and because none o hei amily membe s ook o e he ca e,
pa ly because hey we e al eady wo king. This is u he e idence ha ca e p o ision o -
en alls on he less ad an aged, while he p i ileged ans e hei ca e wo kloads o he
less ad an aged (T on o, 1993). These women ca e ake s ace a somewha bleak li e sce-
na io:
—I ha e been looking a e my mo he o six yea s and you see ha (…) he wage
isn’ enough, ha you a e s uck (...) in a hole ha you can’ ge ou o , ha ime goes
by, he ew yea s ha you ha e a e going by (...) and you can be hal all igh and you
see ha he e is no wage, ha i ’s no enough (…) you don’ ha e he ime o say:
well, I’m going o b oaden my ho izons a bi . A bi edious.
—Day o day li e is ha d. And wha demo alises and sinks you is ha you don’ see...
—Exac ly, he e is no solu ion.
—The e is no ligh , he e is no pa h.
—You eel hopeless.
(DG. Women Ca e ake s aged 50-64)
These women li e ally li e o ake ca e o hei amily membe s, wi h wo king days ha ha e
no se hou s, no holidays and only a ew ee momen s when hey manage o lea e hei am-
ily membe s in he ca e o o he s, bu always wi h he eeling ha hey ha e o be a en i e
and con ac able. And wi h e y li le chance o e-en e ing he job ma ke : «They don’ wan
me anywhe e». Ca ing o o he s pu s hei own ca e and e en hei heal h in second place.
This si ua ion gi es ise o a kind o exis en ial imp isonmen ha leads one o hese women
o e balise i in his way: «Goodness me! I’m locked in he e; I ha e no way ou » (DG. Women
Ca e ake s aged 50-64). I is an exis en ial enclosu e ha co esponds o a ce ain physi-
cal enclosu e inso a as he in ensi e ca e hey ha e o p o ide leads hem o spend mos o
he day in o nea hei homes. The exis en ial imp isonmen o which we e e is e lec ed
in sadness, dep ession and in he i al anguish o seeing ime pass ( he u u e — hey say—
is no o be hough o ) and wi h i he possibili ies o ebuilding hei li es. Only some imes,
no e y o en, does he cen ali y o he p oblems o he amily membe s hey ca e o gi e
ise o hei own exis en ial conce ns: «So, apa om my a he ’s p oblem, I’m alking abou
my own. So I’m wo ying abou my hings, o hink abou my hings, wha ’s going o happen
o me. O cou se, because you say: damn, i I’m okay I wan o do his, I wan o do he o he ,
I wan , I wan and I wan . And I’m going o die be o e my mo he » (DG. Women Ca e ake s
aged 50-64). The way in which hese women ace he amily ial gene a es a s ong exis en-
ial discom o ha is di icul o e balise:
—I ’s like you ge ang y and you say: damn, she’s aking away my powe o do ha .
And hen you say: please, bu wha is she saying [- Bu she’s my mo he ] she’s my
mo he , he eali y is ha I don’ wan he o die.
—O cou se.
—Bu a he same ime you say: i she wasn’ a ound, I could do any hing I wan ed
o do.
(DG. Women Ca e ake s aged 50-64)
Exis en ial conce ns and suppo s. An in es iga ion in o ulne abili y
h p://doi.o g/10.1387/pceic.25840 9
Thei si ua ion o ulne abili y gene a es o hese women ca e ake s, as hey hemsel es
poin ou , ea and unce ain y (...) because «I, o example, he day my mo he is gone I al-
ways say: Well, gosh... wha am I going o do... wha am I going o do o a li ing... wha am I
going o ind a job in... And I am al eady i y- ou yea s old» (DG. Women Ca e s). This ea is
compounded by he de alua ion hey pe cei e due o he lack o isibili y and ecogni ion o
ca e-gi ing and e en, on occasions, he nega i e iew o hei closes amily membe s:
my child en (...) hey don’ hink i ’s good ha I am aking ca e o my mo he be-
cause hey say: We’ll see, wha happens wi h my li e… hey see ha I’m sad… ha I
am no aking ad an age o i ... (…), my b o he s and sis e s don’ app ecia e wha
i means o be in a house all day and only ha ing one o wo hou s a day o go ou ...
(FG. Women Ca e s)
6. socIo-exIs en IAl suPPo s
6.1. F om he sel -suppo ing indi idual o he suppo s
The exis en ial conce ns and discom o s we ha e jus seen lead us o ask ou sel es how
hese people suppo hemsel es in hei li es, wha hey ely on, how hey endu e hei si u-
a ion. In a con ex o indi idualisa ion and he ans e o esponsibili y om ins i u ions o
indi iduals, he i s hing ha is s iking is how indi iduals e e o sel -su iciency o coping
wi h hei si ua ions o ulne abili y, hus ejec ing he web o in e dependencies in social li e:
I wan o be sel -su icien and no depend on anyone. (Man, 31 yea s old. Uppe -
middle class o igin)
You ha e o be able o s and on you own wo ee oo, no depend on o he s. (DG.
Young women aged 25-30. Wo king-class o igin)
I conside mysel qui e in elligen on my own [...] I ha e many de ec s bu I am a
ough guy [...] I conside mysel a s ong guy, I ha e no p oblems in ha sense, s ong
in my mind, in my spi i , I ha e no p oblems, I know ha in he end i will ake ime,
bu e e y hing will wo k ou . (DG. Men aged o e 45. Uppe -middle class o igin)
These discou ses show he ex en o which he mode n concep ion o he sel -made indi id-
ual s ill pe mea es many people’s ep esen a ions. Al hough his ep esen a ion has unde -
gone majo ans o ma ions, e en oday he ideal o he independen subjec is s ill e y in-
luen ial in la e mode n socie ies (Ál a ez-Bena ides & Tu nbough, 2021). In ac , in ecen
decades his ep esen a ion has been uelled by he g owing popula i y o wo k on esilience,
which, in i s mo e psychologis ic e sions, places success in dealing wi h si ua ions o ulne -
abili y on indi idual ai s. And ye , in line wi h wha he au ho s who mobilise he ca ego y o
suppo s de end, we a gue he e ha i is in hem, in he wo k ha is done on hem, and no in
mys e ious subjec i e capaci ies whe e he capaci y o esilience esides (S e inge , 2004).
I is he e o e necessa y o go deepe in o he de elopmen o a sociology o suppo s ha
allows us o g asp hei socio-exis en ial mode o ope a ion. To do so in all i s dep h would
equi e he singula isa ion o analyses wi h pe sonalised exis en ial ecologies (Ma uccelli,
2007: 95-98). In wha ollows, we will limi ou sel es o showing he ele ance o some o
hese suppo s in he ligh o he ieldwo k ca ied ou .
Jose San iago
16 Papeles del CEIC, 2024/1, 1-17
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