Resilience – the ability of a society to resist and recover from challenges to national security – constitutes the centrepiece of comprehensive security approaches of modern states. Often labelled total defence, such whole-of-society approaches are prevalent not least among small states in efforts to enhance the deterrent effect of the armed forces as well as to secure the continuous functioning of society. This paper investigates the nature of resilience in the Nordic- Baltic countries through the perspective of security culture. More specifically, the paper has three aims: (1) to analyse conceptualizations of resilience among the Nordic and Baltic countries in a comparative perspective; (2) to inquire into existing and prospective regional cooperation regarding resilience and total defence in order (3) to determine to what degree there exists a common security culture, expressed through shared norms and identities underlying security cooperation. Our analysis draws on official documents (such as government white papers and bills, national security strategies from the countries of the region as well as documents from Nordic organizations, the EU and NATO) as well as a set of interviews with civil servants in the different Nordic and Baltic countries. The investigation is directed at differences and similarities regarding the understanding and organization of resilience among the eight states in focus as well as the patterns of cooperation in the area of resilience, with an aim to assess the degree of shared security culture in the region.