Dear Researchers,
We invite you to submit original research articles based on theory or empirical research for a special issue of Social Theory, Empirics, Policy and Practice on contemporary challenges, uncertainty, resilience in the social sphere and the transformation of organisations and services in response to them. This special issue aims to explore the multifaceted nature of social resilience, its determinants, and its implications for various social systems. Papers should address how contemporary social and geopolitical challenges affect the resilience of societies, service systems and individuals, the changes they trigger and the impact of these changes on society. The term resilience has been adopted into the social sciences from the physical and biological sciences and is traditionally understood as the capacity of a system to withstand internal and external threats (Van der Leeuw and Aschan-Leygonie, 2005). Maintaining resilience is particularly relevant in times of contemporary social and political upheavals. However, while the concept of social resilience can be applied to explore the threats posed by social change in different social systems (Keck and Sakdapolrak, 2013), it is not well developed and there is a lack of research in this area. Moreover, resilience is closely linked to the capacity to change, adapting to challenges and transforming ways of acting. Crisis-induced transformations are a relevant research topic and require scientific debate.
Suggested topics:
- Theoretical frameworks and conceptualizations of social resilience
- Measuring social resilience at individual, organisational, community and societal levels
- Determinants of social resilience
- Research on social resilience in the context of pandemics, natural disasters, economic crises, war and climate change
- Strategies and tools for building social resilience.
- Policy implications for enhancing social resilience
- Transformation of social services, professional activities in response to challenges and/or social policy reforms (e.g. disability, social services, inclusive education, etc.)
- Other themes that address crisis, social resilience and transformation.
Submission Guidelines:
- All submissions must adhere to the journal's guidelines for style, formatting, and citation.
- Papers should be original research, not previously published or under consideration elsewhere.
- The submission deadline is 2025 02 01.
All submitted papers will undergo a double blinded peer review process.
We encourage researchers from various disciplines to contribute to this special issue. By sharing your insights and findings, you will contribute to a deeper understanding of social resilience and its implications for policy and practice.
Sincerely,
Eugenijus Dunajevas