Resilienz der öffentlichen Verwaltung: Begriffliche und analytische Perspektiven unter Krisenbedingungen
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Abstract
Resilience in public administration: Conceptual and analytical perspectives in crisis contexts
This article introduces the special issue on resilience in public administration and situates the concept within the context of persistent crises and increasing demands on the state. It shows that resilience has gained prominence in policy and administrative practice, yet often remains conceptually vague and encompasses diverse, sometimes conflicting meanings. Against this background, the article discusses resilience as an analytical lens for examining administrative capacity under conditions of crisis. Particular attention is paid to the dual role of public administration, which not only contributes to the stability of other societal systems but also depends on its own capacity to function. Resilience is conceptualised as a multidimensional phenomenon that combines stability, adaptation, and change, and manifests across different levels, from individual actors to institutional arrangements. The contributions to the special issue are subsequently positioned within this framework and interpreted as complementary perspectives on administrative resilience.
Keywords: resilient public administration, administrative capacity, polycrisis, governance, adaptability
Bibliography: Cardaun, Sarah & Schröter, Eckhard (2026). Resilienz der öffentlichen Verwaltung: Begriffliche und analytische Perspektiven unter Krisenbedingungen. dms – der moderne staat – Zeitschrift für Public Policy, Recht und Management, 19(1-2026), 3-17.
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