“My Home’s a Prison”: The Impact of the Covid-19 Lockdown on the Dwelling Experience in Northwest Italy

Abstract

Since early 2020, the anthropological community has investigated the cultural and social impact of the pandemic and the exceptional countermeasures of the Italian government. This paper contributes to the debate by exploring how the lockdown experience is linked to the sense of dwelling and the changed sense of place in one's residence and home. In particular, the processes of signification of urban and rural space and the relationship between these and the perception of one's home are explored.