New publication: Governing After Crisis

Governing After Crisis The Politics of Investigation, Accountability and Learning Edited by Arjen Boin (Louisiana State University), Allan McConnell (University of Sydney), Paul 't Hart (Australian National University, Canberra) Hardback (ISBN-13: 9780521885294) Cambridge University Press (2008)

The constant threat of crises such as disasters, riots and terrorist attacks poses a frightening challenge to Western societies and governments. While the causes and dynamics of these events have been widely studied, we know little about what happens following their containment and the restoration of stability.

This volume explores ‘post-crisis politics,’ examining how crises give birth to longer term dynamic processes of accountability and learning which are characterised by official investigations, blame games, political manoeuvring, media scrutiny and crisis exploitation. Drawing from a wide range of contemporary crises, including Hurricane Katrina, 9/11, the Madrid train bombings, the Walkerton water contamination, Space Shuttles Challenger and Columbia and the Boxing Day Asian tsunami, this is a ground-breaking volume which addresses the longer term impact of crisis-induced politics. Competing pressures for stability and change mean that policies, institutions and leaders may occasionally be uprooted, but often survive largely intact.

- An analysis of what happens ‘after’ crisis to policies, institutions and political leaders

- The contributors provide a unique multidisciplinary perspective on crisis management drawing from political science, social psychology, public administration, public policy, international relations, organisation theory and disaster sociology

- Contains detailed case studies of some of the most devastating and high-profile crises in recent years, including 9/11, Hurricane Katrina, and the Space Shuttle Challenger and Columbia disasters

Contents

1. Governing after crisis Arjen Boin, Allan McConnell and Paul ‘t Hart; Part I. Crisis-Induced Accountability;

2. Weathering the politics of responsibility and blame: the Bush administration and its response to hurricane Katrina Thomas Preston;

3. A reversal of fortune: blame games and framing contests after the 3/11 terrorist attacks in Madrid José A. Olmeda;

4. Flood response and political survival: Gerhard Schröder and the 2002 Elbe flood in Germany Evelyn Bytzek;

5. The politics of tsunami responses: comparing patterns of blame management in Scandinavia Annika Brändström, Sanneke Kuipers and Pär Daléus;

6. Dutroux and dioxin: crisis investigations, elite accountability and institutional reform in Belgium Sofie Staelraeve and Paul ‘t Hart; Part II. Crisis-Induced Policy Change and Learning:

7. The 1975 Stockholm embassy seizure: crisis and the absence of reform Dan Hansén;

8. The Walkerton water tragedy and the Jerusalem banquet hall collapse: regulatory failure and policy change Robert Schwartz and Allan McConnell;

9. Learning from crisis: NASA and the Challenger disaster Arjen Boin;

10. September 11 and post-crisis investigation: exploring the role and impact of the 9/11 commission Charles F. Parker and Sander Dekker;

11. Conclusions: the politics of crisis exploitation Arjen Boin, Paul ‘t Hart and Allan McConnell.

Contributors

Arjen Boin, Allan McConnell, Paul ‘t Hart, Thomas Preston, José A. Olmeda, Evelyn Bytzek, Annika Brändström, Sanneke Kuipers, Pär Daléus, Sofie Staelraeve, Dan Hansén, Robert Schwartz, Charles F. Parker, Sander Dekker