Understanding resilience and social inequality

How can governments, community organisations and citizens work together to address social inequalities? And what happens when these efforts are complicated by unequal power relations, institutional racism and a lack of trust?

These questions are at the heart of Crafting Resilience, a large-scale research project co-led by anthropologist Anouk de Koning.

Across eight Dutch cities, the research team examines how governments, social professionals and citizens navigate these challenges, particularly in communities facing marginalisation and exclusion.

The project brings together three interconnected research strands:

1. Social Resilience as Political Practice, which explores relationships between communities and governance;
2. Navigating Professional Politics, focusing on the role of social workers in bridging the gap between governments and citizens;
3. Resilience & Security, examining the dilemmas and tensions surrounding resilience and security.

Together, these strands aim to provide social professionals and policymakers with insights and practical tools to navigate unequal power relations, strengthen collaboration and support more inclusive decision-making.

Making room for different voices

An important part of Crafting Resilience is sharing knowledge beyond academia. The project is publishing a series of seven freely accessible Dutch-language magazines, each exploring a different theme through essays, interviews and contributions from researchers and practitioners.

The magazines aim not only to communicate research findings, but also to create space for people and perspectives that are often overlooked in public and policy debates.

Four editions have appeared so far:

• De kracht van (on)macht (January 2025) examines dilemmas surrounding care, safety and power, as experienced by professionals and citizens.
• Tijd voor actie? (September 2025) explores what today's social workers can learn from historical efforts to address structural inequality and bring social issues onto the political agenda.
• Fricties in de tussenruimte (December 2025) investigates the tensions that arise when governments and citizens attempt to collaborate on more equal terms.
• Vaagtaal (September 2026) examines how familiar policy terms, such as self-reliance and resilience, can obscure power relations and influence everyday professional practice.

Each magazine comes with a Dutch-language podcast that explores related themes through conversations with researchers, professionals and people with lived experience.

Connecting research and practice

The magazines are more than a way to communicate research results. They also play a role in the ongoing exchange between researchers and the people and organisations involved in the project.

Through Communities of Practice, researchers work with social professionals, municipalities, policymakers and community organisations to discuss key issues, exchange experiences and explore new ways of collaborating. Practice partners also contribute to the magazines, bringing different forms of knowledge and experience together.

Practical tools

Alongside its publications, Crafting Resilience is developing practical tools for researchers and social professionals. One example is Het Derde Mandaat, a Dutch-language peer supervision tool developed by Anke van den Dries in collaboration with designer Monique Rosalina. Designed as a board game, it helps social workers explore how to address structural inequalities and bring social issues onto the political agenda. On 28 October, Van den Dries and fellow researcher Didier Boost will introduce the tool at a meeting of Sociaal Actie Netwerk Nederland (SWANn), a network promoting politically engaged social work and social justice.

Explore Crafting Resilience

The four published magazines are freely available online, with three further editions planned. They are also distributed among community organisations, policymakers and other partners, helping research insights reach audiences beyond academia.

For updates on upcoming publications and activities, contact craftingresilience@uva.nl