Attachment and (in)securities. Threats to the notion of rootedness in neighbourhood space in Barcelona

Lockdown due to Covid-19 reinforced the notion of proximity in the provision of well-being and the everyday care. The limitations on mobility meant the (re)discovery of neighbourhood life and of fellow residents. The neighbourhood was once again shown as a space of roots where shared loyalties and social identities were formed and reinforced social cohesion and generated mutual support networks in response to an unprecedented situation such as the pandemic. These powerful links pose important challenges in a post-pandemic context, resulting from recent urban processes arising from the cost of housing and questioning the consolidation of proximity, the concept of neighbourhood as community and the right to housing. This paper studies the main challenges to consolidate these ties in Barcelona. Based on analysis of 20 in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted in two neighbourhoods (Montbau and Sant Antoni) and preceded by an analysis of secondary data related to residential (in)stability and mobility this article to explore the sense of belonging, community dynamics and the social cohesion. This research confirms two types of threats: a) recent urban processes that promote residential insecurity and, b) community dynamics that hinder integration and bonds. Obstructing neighbourhood ties breaks the social protection network.