Learning resource

How Do Crises Spread? The Polycrisis and Crisis Transmission

Malte Brosig examines the conditions under which crises may transmit across systems, presenting a conceptual analysis that draws on a diverse set of theoretical frameworks, including neofunctionalism, rational choice, complexity theory, assemblage theory, and epidemiology. He argues that crisis transmission is not automatic but may be shaped by factors such as stressor similarity, functional interdependencies, […]

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Polycrisis and the Thucydides Trap. In: War and the World Economy

In this chapter, William Jefferies examines polycrisis as a framework for understanding the interconnected and compounding challenges facing the contemporary world—including environmental degradation, economic inequality, geopolitical tensions, and democratic backsliding. Situating these developments in the post-Cold War era, the chapter critically engages with the ideological legacy of Francis Fukuyama’s “End of History” thesis and the

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Unraveling the Polycrisis with Foresight and Innovation

This publication introduces the EU Policy Lab’s new Polycrisis Exploration Tool, an adaptable tool for foresight and holistic risk management. Grounded in Wendy Schultz’s Manoa methodology, it uses a participatory and structured approach to explore multiple future wheels, examining how interconnected risks might materialize simultaneously. Drawing on 40 risks identified in the Risks on the

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A Logic For The Future

Stephen Heintz and Kim Stanley Robinson explore the concept of the polycrisis and the urgent need for comprehensive reform of global governance. In an era marked by interconnected political, economic, technological, and environmental challenges that transcend national borders, current institutions are proving inadequate. This dialogue reflects on historical moments of transformation and argues for a

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The Social Pathology of Polycrisis

Stephen J. Purdey explores how the polycrisis has emerged as a growing threat despite humanity’s shared desire for safety and prosperity. He argues that its material dimensions are rooted in and legitimized by an underlying belief system. Key elements of this system include an exaggerated sense of human exceptionalism, an anthropocentric worldview, and a licentious

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What Comes After the Polycrisis?

In this article, Erik Assadourian explores how interventions during the polycrisis can be designed to be most effective in fostering a better post-polycrisis future, while also strengthening society’s ability to respond in the present. He argues that while collapse may be increasingly likely, societies still have opportunities to shape what comes after. Assadourian emphasizes the

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The Routledge Handbook on Crisis, Polycrisis, and Public Administration

This volume explores the challenges faced by the public sector in responding to local, national, and global crises, particularly in the context of polycrisis. Drawing on expertise from various fields, it addresses the complexities of crises in public administration and policy, examining how these events strain human capacity, information technology, and communication systems. With contributions

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Revolution in an Age of Polycrisis

The authors explore the intersection of revolutionary theory and emerging polycrisis discourses, examining how various international and national factors become intertwined, creating polycrisis events that can lead to revolutionary moments. These revolutionary moments can, in turn, exacerbate stresses that contribute to systemic dysfunction elsewhere, due to the entanglement of global systems. Through case studies of

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Liberal Environmentalism and Climate Change in the Polycrisis

David Krogmann explores the persistence of liberal environmentalism in international climate policy, despite the growing climate crisis and the broader polycrisis in international relations. He argues that the deep institutionalization of norms linking economic growth with environmental protection creates a mismatch between the crisis and political responses. Drawing on liberal institutionalism, constructivism, and neo-realism, Krogmann

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Launch of the Polycrisis & Policy Brief Series

In this webinar, the PolyCIVIS initiative launches the first two papers of its Policy Brief Series (“From Polycrisis to Polysolutions” and “Humanitarian Aid in the Polycrisis”), which aim to inform and shape global discourse on the complex and interconnected nature of today’s polycrisis. The session explores the definition of polycrisis, highlighting its transboundary effects, multi-causality,

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