Practices of Social Solidarity in Madrid: Alternative Forms of Economic Activities in Times of Crises

The paper aims at analysing the practices of social solidarity implemented in Madrid since the emergence of the Indignados in May 2011. In all the neighbourhoods, barter exchange networks, mutual assistance networks, time banks and/or social currencies have been created. Based on a participant observation in meetings of two popular neighbourhoods (from May 2011 to May 2013) and semi-structured interviews (conducted in 2013 and 2014), we shall analyse the diversity of practices, the meanings which attribute them their promoters (not only to offer solutions to people affected by the economic crisis, but also to show that other exchanges are possible outside the market economy), as well as their sources of influence (in particular in Argentina). We will show that, as in the Argentine case analysed by Merklen (2008) further to the crisis of 2001, the neighbourhood is becoming a privileged location for the organisation of solidarities and cooperation in Spain.