Citizens’ Resilience in Times of Crisis

This section aims to provide evidence-based knowledge about citizens’ resilience in times of economic crises allowing for providing more effective policy responses to the negative consequences of such crises. It examines in particular the ways in which European citizens have reacted to the crisis that, at different degree of intensity in different countries, struck Europe since 2008, but also how they deal with economic crises and their consequences more generally. This may encompass a wide range of strategies and forms of resilience by citizens, from exiting from the political sphere and withdrawing from political engagement to voicing their concerns and engage in political action. It may also refer to citizens who choose different channels and strategies to make their voice heard as an active reaction to crises. Not only can they engage in political action and protest, but they may seek access to justice at various levels (from local to European and international) and take part in the associational life of their community. Economic crises may also open up new opportunities for political parties – in particular, right-wing populist parties – which voters might consider as providing attractive solutions to cope with the negative consequences of the crisis. In addition, citizens might develop new attitudes and practices towards the economic system, society at large, and their own place within it. Studies show the existence of a wide repertoire of non-capitalist practices that involve citizens lowering their cost of living, connecting to other communities and assisting others. Alternative forms of resilience include the strengthening of social and family networks and community practices to foster solidarity in the face of crises, change of lifestyles towards more sustainable forms of consumption and production, developing new artistic expressions, moving abroad for short or long durations (or on the contrary reducing mobility). In brief, the section examines both individual and collective responses by citizens, both the private and the public dimensions of such responses, and both political and non-political responses. In addition, special attention will be paid to new and alternative forms of resilience in times of crises. The section relates to the EU-funded project LIVEWHAT (Living with Hard Times: How European Citizens Deal with Economic Crises and Their Social and Political Consequences), which is coordinated by the section chair. The aim is to create a dialogue as well as a cross-fertilization of finding between the research outputs of this project and the wider scholarly community working in this field, also with the aim of establishing a research network of scholars working on this topic. The section is supported by the Standing Group on Participation and Mobilization. Panel 3 is also part of the section on Forms of Political Violence.