New book (free access): Governing the Pandemic

This book discusses how governments, particularly those of advanced economies, have responded to the immense challenges of managing the COVID-19 crisis – the ultimate stress test for societies, governments, and political leaders. Written by three eminent crisis management and public policy scholars, it offers a unique ‘bird’s eye’ view of political and administrative challenges.

This book examines how governments and policymakers have made sense of emerging threats that spilled across health, economic, political and social systems. It describes how policymakers made fateful policy decisions and mobilised public resources to curb the pandemic and mitigate its economic and social impact. It analyses the efforts of policymakers to craft and communicate crisis narratives designed to influence public attitudes and behaviours. Finally, it explores the various approaches to the ‘end game’ of the pandemic (including the politics of inquiry and accountability).

Offering pathways to future resilience, this study of crisis governance will appeal to academics and students across multiple disciplines, journalists, public officials, politicians, non-governmental organisations and citizen groups.

You can access the book online here.

Here you can find a review of the book.