Irene Lorenzoni explores the link between social networks and vulnerability

Does social capital help reduce vulnerability and increase resilience? Not always.

Irene Lorenzoni discusses the perceived wisdom that social networks may  reduce individual vulnerability and increase resilience, with reference to recent research undertaken with elderly people and their contacts in relation to heatwaves. It is possible that some networks, because of their characteristics and underlying relationships, perpetuate the status quo rather than contributing to improve individuals' wellbeing and to increase their responsiveness to present and future changes.