A word of welcome from the Director

As we were placing the final touches on this website, ghosts of crises remembered and overlooked proved poignant reminders of the importance of CRISMART’s mission.  The fifth anniversary of the tragedy of September 11 provided vivid imagery of the consequences of complacency in the face of threat (as did the first anniversary of Hurricane Katrina).  Coincidentally, September 11 was also the third anniversary of the death of Anna Lindh—a popular and promising Foreign Minister cut down by an assassin’s blade during an unescorted shopping expedition in downtown Stockholm. The fact that the media coverage of the observance of the foreign crisis anniversary for all practical purposes completely drowned out remembrance of the latter is thought provoking, especially in light of the fact that Prime Minister Olof Palme was murdered in similar fashion in 1986.  Another perennially painful September ghost, the MS Estonia disaster resurfaced as a new investigation into the circumstances of the tragedy was launched by the Judicial Chancellory.  

For us, as for so many in the political science community, this fall has been tinged with sadness for another reason.  Professor Alexander George of Stanford University, one of the pioneers of crisis management research and a key source of inspiration to the CRISMART research team recently passed away.  Professor George’s vision of a social science engaged and contributing to the management of vital policy issues remains at the heart of our endeavors. His work demonstrated that it was possible to maintain the highest standards of academic excellence and scholarly integrity while engaging in critical dialogue with and contributing to improving the practice of policymaking. 

Preparing for, coping with, and learning from crises are challenging tasks.  Improving society’s preparedness requires a knowledge-based partnership between those who study crises and those who have the unenviable responsibility for managing them.  We must learn from experience, while keeping an eye on a rapidly changing future.  We must learn not only from the crises which occur in our own countries but also from those affecting our neighbors. We must systematically learn from and teach others if our governments and our societies are to become better prepared for the challenges to come.

The fine restaurant which once graced World Trade Center, a restaurant which no longer exists, was named Windows on the World.  In another sense, this website also represents a window on the world. We invite the community of crisis scholars, practitioners, and citizens interested in the subject to have a look inside and join us in our ongoing efforts to understand the threats our societies face and to learn more about how best to prevent and prepare for them.

Eric K. Stern

Director