Introduction

Abstract This special double issue of the International Social Security Review addresses the topic of “Social security: Enabling and supporting resilience”. Two key aims underpin the production of this special issue. The first is to identify, critically evaluate and share knowledge on how to strengthen the broader operational environment of social security systems, organizations and programmes in a manner that will be conducive to their ability to avoid shocks and ensure administrative continuity but also supports their capacity to respond with resilience and “build back better” after having been confronted by shocks. The second is to identify, critically evaluate and share knowledge on how individuals as members of households, families and society can be better enabled by social security benefits and services to be resilient when confronted by livelihood and life‐cycle shocks and which, in a dynamic manner, should also contribute to the achievement of positive transformative change for people across the life course.