Poland’s Small Towns from Pre- and Post-pandemic Perspective: On Life Quality as a Resilience Measure

The competitiveness of peripheral small towns regarding residential as well as business functions of the supra-local range is discussed in the present paper in the framework of COVID-19 effects. It is found that the towns under study, even though to a varying degree, have revealed a measure of resilience to pandemic-related disturbances. This is traced back to endogenous, territorial capital-related factors. The findings expose the emphasis put by successful socio-economic activities upon the specificity of the market offer, and its linking with tradition, skills, and natural resources. Concerning local government practices, the Covid-19 pandemic has fostered the focus on the quality of life at the community level, while acknowledging the weight of its education and healthcare-related components.