More than ‘Just Coping’: The Antecedents and Dynamics of Resilience in a Qualitative Longitudinal Study

This paper attempts to contribute to understandings of the role of resilience as a process enabling individuals to steer a positive course in their lives by drawing on longitudinal qualitative data collected from six case study individuals, drawn from a wider study of one hundred families over a seven-year period. It is shown how respondents construct their own life trajectories, specifically reflecting on the changes and challenges they face. Additionally, this work offers a policy perspective to the debate on resilience, examining the interplay between recent government initiatives and their potential role in fostering resilience.