Description
Russia’s war on Ukraine, the uncertainty over the transatlantic relationship, hybrid warfare attacks against Europe, and the impact of a potential ceasefire in Ukraine, all have increased war and crisis preparations on the continent. This includes a pledge among NATO members to spend 5% on defence, with 3.5% on hard security and 1.5% resilience to foster a ‘whole of society approach’, which has gained different meanings across national contexts (‘total defence’ in Sweden and Finland or ‘whole society mobilisation’ in UK). However, the rise of populism and authoritarian politics coupled with backlash against gender and women’s rights, the rollback on equality and inclusion initiatives, and the deprioritisation of development aid are exacerbating existing gaps in public services like health, education and social services, all of which have been greatly affected by Covid-19, environmental degradation and ongoing economic and social insecurity. Against this background we are bringing together a variety of papers interested in the different understanding of resilience: as a concept, as a policy, as a lived experience. We ask questions such as: How is resilience integrated in the security and defence of states or alliances? How does populism, disinformation or conspiracy theories affect the development of a resilient defence and security and what are the tools through which these effects can be mitigated? What is the link between resilience, trust and communication? What is the role of civil society in building resilient states or alliances? How is resilience experienced or fostered at the personal, local, national or international level?
