States of Resilience and the Resilient State

Abstract

This article addresses the rising policy and academic concern with resilience. We trace the etymology of resilience and go on to focus on three academic narratives that have emerged: the psychological, the sociological and the whole-life. Comparing academic views on various states of resilience with policy narratives, we home in on the mobilisation of resilience in the area of counter terrorism. Highlighting an uncomfortable fit between academic and policy narratives, we posit that contemporary forms of neo-liberal governance do not simply attest to a search for resilience, but are indicative of the quest to develop a resilient State that attempts to compel individuals, communities and voluntary agencies to perform security on its behalf.