Leadership in Building Urban Resilience: From the Distributed to the Individual Dimension

Abstract

Modern multidimensional crises underscore the urgent need to identify key factors influencing urban resilience. Among these, leadership - a constitutive element of political organization - remains understudied. This article aims to address the theoretical gap by analyzing the concept of urban resilience, tracing its evolving meaning, and defining its core dimensions. It further explores how contemporary challenges reshape leadership models and practices. Drawing on complexity theory, the functional-systemic theory of cities, and a comprehensive literature review, the author argues that leadership as a resilience factor requires a broader conceptualization. This includes integrating processual and distributed resources, as well as the specific competencies of urban leaders. The study provides a theoretical foundation for future empirical research and offers preliminary policy recommendations for building urban resilience.