Governing the pandemic : : the politics of navigating a mega-crisis / / Arjen Boin, Allan McConnell, Paul 't Hart.

• Author: Boin, Arjen.
• TeilnehmendeR: McConnell, Allan, 1957-; 't Hart, Paul.
• Place / Publishing House: Cham : : Springer International Publishing AG,, 2021.; ©2021.
• Year of Publication: 2021
• Language: English
• Physical Description: 1 online resource (ix, 130 pages) :; illustrations

This open access book offers unique insights into how governments and governing systems, particularly in advanced economies, have responded to the immense challenges of managing the coronavirus pandemic and the ensuing disease COVID-19. Written by three eminent scholars in the field of the politics and policy of crisis management, it offers a unique ‘bird’s eye’ view of the immense logistical and political challenges of addressing a worst-case scenario that would prove the ultimate stress test for societies, governments, governing institutions and political leaders. It examines how governments and governing systems have (i) made sense of emerging transboundary threats that have spilled across health, economic, political and social systems (ii) mobilised systems of governance and often fearful and sceptical citizens (iii) crafted narratives amid high uncertainty about the virus and its impact and (iv) are working towards closure and a return to ‘normal’ when things can never quite be the same again. The book also offers the building blocks of pathways to future resilience. Succeeding and failing in all these realms is tied in with governance structures, experts, trust, leadership capabilities and political ideologies. The book appeals to anyone seeking to understand ‘what’s going on?’, but particularly academics and students across multiple disciplines, journalists, public officials, politicians, non-governmental organisations and citizen groups.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1. The year of the unthinkable Annus Horribilis A crisis perspective on pandemic governance The unique characteristics of the COVID-19 crisis How did it go? First impressions A preview of the book Chapter 2. What's going on? A sense-making nightmare Detecting COVID-19: Common challenges The role of experts Navigating uncertainty: Science-policy interface at knife's edge The precarious politics of sense-making Chapter 3. Getting things done When the rule book no longer works Governance challenges First responses Governance capacity and legitimacy The politics of crisis governance Chapter 4. Crafting narratives Constructing the meaning of the COVID-19 crisis The rise and fall of crisis narratives The power of words Framing contests Communicating COVID-19 A long rollercoaster ride Chapter 5. Towards closure The need for closure The politics of accountability The politics of learning Chapter 6. Pathways to resilience Pivoting forward Overcoming organized blindness Vigilant decision-making Managing fragmentation Credible crisis narratives Managing collective stress What matters now