A platform for research: civil engineering, architecture and urbanism
A platform for research: civil engineering, architecture and urbanism
Resilience resistance: The challenges and implications of urban resilience implementation
Abstract Growing concern about major threats, including climate change, environmental disasters, and other hazards, is matched with the increased interest and appeal of the concept of urban resilience. Much scholarly attention has focused on how to define urban resilience, in addition to raising questions about its applicability and usefulness. But those debates typically overlook questions of implementation. Implementation is important not only for how cities respond to threats but also because it can influence how urban resilience is perceived, discussed, and understood. The policy literature suggests that implementation is rarely straightforward and has ideological and normative perspectives embedded within it. Building on this literature, this paper argues that urban resilience implementation raises its own conceptual questions for both theory and practice. Further, implementing urban resilience entails its own unique challenges, such as extensive coordination, maintaining adaptability, divergent time horizons, and diverse outcomes. The paper also introduces the idea of resilience resistance as a new challenge for urban resilience. Resistance refers to the condition in which governance systems inherently develop barriers to change, flexibility, and adaptability through implementation. Several aspects of resistance are highlighted, including fatigue, complacency, and overconfidence. However, the implementation process can also have unintended positive effects on a city's capacity to prepare for and respond to shocks.
Highlights Debates about urban resilience may overlook the importance of policy implementation How policies are implemented can influence discussions and understanding of the concept of urban resilience Urban resilience implementation raises its own conceptual questions for theory and practice Implementation can lead to resilience resistance, which reduces the capacity for cities to respond to shocks and stresses
Resilience resistance: The challenges and implications of urban resilience implementation
Abstract Growing concern about major threats, including climate change, environmental disasters, and other hazards, is matched with the increased interest and appeal of the concept of urban resilience. Much scholarly attention has focused on how to define urban resilience, in addition to raising questions about its applicability and usefulness. But those debates typically overlook questions of implementation. Implementation is important not only for how cities respond to threats but also because it can influence how urban resilience is perceived, discussed, and understood. The policy literature suggests that implementation is rarely straightforward and has ideological and normative perspectives embedded within it. Building on this literature, this paper argues that urban resilience implementation raises its own conceptual questions for both theory and practice. Further, implementing urban resilience entails its own unique challenges, such as extensive coordination, maintaining adaptability, divergent time horizons, and diverse outcomes. The paper also introduces the idea of resilience resistance as a new challenge for urban resilience. Resistance refers to the condition in which governance systems inherently develop barriers to change, flexibility, and adaptability through implementation. Several aspects of resistance are highlighted, including fatigue, complacency, and overconfidence. However, the implementation process can also have unintended positive effects on a city's capacity to prepare for and respond to shocks.
Highlights Debates about urban resilience may overlook the importance of policy implementation How policies are implemented can influence discussions and understanding of the concept of urban resilience Urban resilience implementation raises its own conceptual questions for theory and practice Implementation can lead to resilience resistance, which reduces the capacity for cities to respond to shocks and stresses
Resilience resistance: The challenges and implications of urban resilience implementation
Shamsuddin, Shomon (author)
Cities ; 103
2020-04-28
Article (Journal)
Electronic Resource
English
| Springer Verlag | 2024
| Online Contents | 2003