The bureaucratic life of urban climate resilience

Sebastian Purwins and Markus Keck
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Sebastian Purwins: University of Augsburg, Germany
Markus Keck: University of Augsburg, Germany

Urban Studies, 2025, vol. 62, issue 14, 2903-2913

Abstract: With this commentary, we invite urban scholars to join us in exploring the bureaucratic life of urban climate resilience. Under this heading, we call for research into the intricate and often unpredictable processes of urban governance, from the formulation of general mitigation and adaptation goals to the implementation of concrete measures on the ground. While previous research on urban governance has focused primarily on political negotiations and alliance-building beforehand and on published plans after they are passed, we propose to put emphasis on the non-linear dynamics inherent in decision-making and implementation processes within city administrations. In this context, this commentary has two objectives: (1) we provide arguments for the need to (re-)focus attention on administrative processes in urban climate resilience and (2) we present a perspective that can be used to effectively study said processes. In contrast to widely used actor-oriented perspectives, our approach draws on insights from actor–network theory and integrates human and non-human actors to be studied. We illustrate our approach through an ethnographic study in the municipality of Augsburg, Germany, which serves to uncover the multiple processes of translation inherent in building urban climate resilience and to provide insights into the ways how bureaucrats shape and mediate the future of contemporary cities.

Keywords: bureaucrats; public administration; science in action; urban climate adaptation; urban climate mitigation; urban resilience; 官僚; 公共行政; 科学在行动; 城市气候适应; åŸŽå¸‚æ°”å€™å‡ ç¼“; åŸŽå¸‚å¤ åŽŸåŠ› (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:sae:urbstu:v:62:y:2025:i:14:p:2903-2913

DOI: 10.1177/00420980251322008

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