Familisation and defamilisation processes of social safety net: Low-income families’ welfare participation experiences in Shanghai and Taipei

Abstract

This study used the conceptual lens of familisation and defamilisation to examine how different social safety net policy instruments shape low-income family processes. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 28 welfare recipients in Shanghai and Taipei. The study reveals unique patterns under non-Western and low-income contexts. Means-tested cash transfers inadvertently reinforced familisation processes; defamilisation tendencies were observed in subsidies and services tailored for children and parents, and a hybrid process emerged from employment support. Given that low-income families value both defamilisation and familisation measures, the study highlights the critical need for social safety net policies to balance these components.