Resilience

by David Chandler

Resilience has become a central concept in government policy understandings over the last decade. In our complex, global and interconnected world, resilience appears to be the policy 'buzzword' of choice, alleged to be　the solution to a wide and ever-growing range of policy issues. This book analyses the key aspects of resilience-thinking and highlights how resilience impacts upon traditional conceptions of governance.



This concise and accessible book investigates how resilience-thinking adds new insights into how politics (both domestically and internationally) is understood to work and how problems are perceived and addressed; from　educational training in schools to global ethics and from responses to shock events and natural disasters to long-term international policies to promote peace and development. This book also raises searching questions　about how resilience-thinking influences the types of knowledge and understanding we value and challenges traditional conceptions of social and political processes. It sets forward a new and clear conceptualisation of resilience, of use to students, academics and policy-makers, emphasising the links between the rise of resilience and awareness of the complex nature of problems and　policy-making.

268 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2014

About the author

Professor of International Relations at the University of Westminster.

Reviews

[Tobi ﾄﾋﾞ · Rating 2 out of 5]

Chandler’s work on resilience is always something that makes me think, but not always in the ways the author intended. At its core, Resilience explores how the idea of resilience (once framed as bouncing back from hardship) has morphed into something much bigger under neoliberalism. Chandler argues that resilience is no longer just about coping with crises; it’s about governing complexity itself, making individuals self-reflexive, adaptable, and ultimately responsible for their own survival in an unpredictable world.

The book is full of interesting ideas, particularly Chandler’s take on how resilience operates as a form of governance. He draws on Foucault’s concept of governmentality, arguing that resilience shifts responsibility from the state to individuals and communities, reinforcing a neoliberal logic where people must manage their own risks rather than expecting structural solutions. This is a compelling critique, and I think Chandler does a good job of exposing how resilience is often just another way of offloading responsibility onto the most vulnerable.

But here’s where I struggle: Chandler wants to frame resilience as something beyond neoliberalism, as if it’s a totally new paradigm of governance.
But is resilience nothing but an extension of neoliberalism, rather than a departure from it?

Chandler argues that resilience-thinking isn’t just about individuals. It applies to entire communities, organisations, and even states. But whether at the personal or institutional level, the logic is the same: systems must be self-reflexive, adaptable, and self-responsible. Again, I’d say that this still follows neoliberal patterns, where responsibility is shifted onto those experiencing insecurity, rather than challenging the structures that create it. Whether it’s individuals managing their own risks, communities adapting to crises, or states navigating global instability, resilience-thinking often means accepting insecurity rather than demanding systemic solutions.

Another thing that stands out is Chandler’s emphasis on complexity. He claims that “complex life is governable” and that resilience-thinking is about navigating complexity rather than imposing rigid top-down control. In some ways, that makes sense- disasters, crises, and governance don’t follow linear patterns. But at the same time, this idea of self-organizing complexity doesn’t necessarily free us from neoliberal control; it just shifts the burden of governance to individuals who are already struggling under these pressures.

I think the book is worth reading, especially if you’re interested in governance, neoliberalism, and the politics of security. But while Chandler sees resilience as a “post-liberal” or even “post-neoliberal” concept, I see it as more of the same, just in a different disguise. His ideas on complexity and self-governance are thought-provoking, but they ultimately reinforce the structures he’s critiquing.

[Tara Brabazon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Boom. Clear Five Stars. This book demonstrates how interdisciplinarity can transform concepts, theories and policies.

David Chandler is extraordinary. If you want to see how brilliant people can plait filaments of research - this is your archetype.

Tremendous book.

[Maisie McDavid · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not in the page turner category

[Ellen · Rating 3 out of 5]

excellent argument, superrrrr overwritten