Current modes of governance seem to suffer from a lack of vigor: contemporary societies have entered a stage of major crises and shocks, whereby the ‘governability’ is not self-evident. Moreover, social structures and cultural belief systems are becoming increasingly fluid, affecting the governance system itself. Overall, within an increasingly globalized and dynamic social context, we see political and administrative capacities destabilizing, their legitimacy weakening, and levels of trust decreasing.
‘In pursuit of an understanding of ‘resilient governance’, our efforts are devoted to exploring the characteristics, conditions and life-chances in contexts of radical societal change. Resilient governance then, is not only characterized by a mode of ‘governing for resilience’ – creating public policies and spheres that foster social continuity rather than disruptive crises – but must be ‘reflexive’ in the sense that it can adapt to and survive within rapidly changing social contexts as well.’