The Nexus Between Resilience and Foreign Policy in Its Historical Development. A Research Agenda

This chapter discusses the nexus between policies to promote resilience at domestic and international level and the foreign policy making of a middle power. Resilience is defined as the capacity of different layers of society to withstand, to adapt, and to recover quickly from stresses and shocks and is among the inspiring criteria of states’ domestic policies but also of the development projects promoted by international organizations. I argue that promoting resilience at domestic level impacts on the ability of small and especially middle powers to perform on the international scene: building resilience is fundamental to increase the reputation of a country and to make it an accountable partner in the international policy making. I also argue that the nexus between foreign policy making and a country’s foreign policy is the result of a long historical process, which is summarized and analyzed in the chapter.