ABSTRACT
Resilience has become the mantra of governance in the “new normal”. This chapter introduces the book, its structure, and objectives. It makes an introduction into the concept of urban resilience and its use, discussing different meanings and purposes it has gained over time. It also explores the role of cities in politics on the global level. International city-led advocacy initiatives are examined, referring to relevant examples of organizations that have evolved worldwide. The section “Resilience Is Political” is dedicated to discussing the concepts which form the theoretical framework of this book. Governmentality refers to the political practice employed on an intersubjective level. Bio-power explores how resilient citizens are “made” based on a set of everyday disciplinary techniques. An attempt of this book to extend its contribution beyond the traditional critique of neoliberalism is discussed. Lastly, the chapter interrogates the concept of assemblages as an ontological and epistemological tool.
