Introduction to social networks and social resilience

How resilient is society? It is the recent confluence of several developments that has pushed this question to the very top of societal and academic debate.The manifold consequences of climate change – ranging from violent conflict over scarce resources to disaster-induced migration – have become more visible than ever, as has our susceptibility to pandemics or other global crises. In combination with demographic trends such as population ageing and socio-economic developments including increasing inequalities, polarisation and civil strife, but also unsustainable consumption patterns, current governments face a particularly frightening cocktail of challenges. What kind of interventions and policies would be needed to prevent these threats undermining social welfare, further exacerbating societal rifts or irreversibly destroying our ecosystems? What does it take to prevent the deterioration of crucial ecological and social infrastructures? How to identify and interrupt the self-reinforcing processes that feed this deterioration? How to restore our economies and social structures after systemwide shocks like pandemics and financial crises?