Understanding Polycrisis: Definitions, Applications, and Responses

This paper compares conceptualizations of the term “polycrisis,” raising questions about the key aspects of different definitions while stressing a convergence in critical features. It conceives a polycrisis as a state in which multiple, macroregional, ecologically embedded, and inexorably interconnected systems face high – and advancing – risk across socioeconomic, political, and other dimensions. After differentiating the term from concepts (such as cascading disasters, compound disasters, and recurring acute disasters), the paper locates historical events along a spectrum of such critical moments, concluding with several concrete recommendations for communities seeking to build democratic resilience in the face of these ongoing stressors.