Crisis and Risk Communication, 2025-2026 - Prospectus

Admission requirements

Only students of the MSc Crisis and Security Management, enrolled in the specialization ‘Governance of Crisis’, can take this course.

Description

Crisis management and crisis communication are intertwined phenomena. Knowing how to communicate increases the effectiveness of crisis management, as stakeholders regain trust and public confidence is restored. This course bridges theory and practice. We present recent theory and concepts, illustrated by best practices of crisis communication. The course focuses on the role of communicative responses during scandals and crises in order to minimize damage and impact in the long run. Case studies from The Netherlands and abroad will be used throughout the course. Students will get more insights into the use of crisis response strategies, the concept and value of meaning making and public leadership in times of crises, and the specific elements of social media as a tool for crisis communication. Students will acquire professional and political sensitivity to communication issues in crisis management, and draft a strategic advice on crisis communication. Their competency to look at risk and crisis communication strategically and empathetically based on practical and academic insights will benefit them in their future professional environment when communication is key in addressing crises and security issues.

Throughout the course, there will be a strong emphasis on challenging students to assess crisis communication dilemmas from the position of other stakeholders, such as media, victims or other organizations within the professional governmental network. Also, insights are provided in terms of risk communication, from natural hazards such as superstorms and floods, to man-made disasters such as toxic spills and accidents, and the threat of earthquakes following the extraction of natural gas in The Netherlands.

This course teaches students to set up, conduct and write a comparative analysis. By analyzing case studies, students gain insight into the dynamics during crises and the influence that certain crisis response strategies can have on public perception and the image that remains after a crisis. If students prefer, case studies can also be examined from the perspective of risk communication. The case studies are critically analyzed using the knowledge and experience gained from the literature in this course, combined with additional research on the topic of choice. Students will learn to translate their comparative analysis of a series of governmental or corporate crises into an academic paper, preparing them for the labor market in the field of crisis management. The course has an interactive set up and includes guest lectures from practice.

Course Objectives

After finalizing this course, students will be able to:

Reconstruct a crisis situation, seeking evidence and drawing from empirical and theoretical materials for an informed and critical judgment, to analyze the performance of crisis managers in terms of the key concepts taught in the course.
Identify and apply theoretical and analytical frameworks, in a conceptually and methodologically rigorous manner, to analyze real-world cases comparatively in terms of challenges and strategies in crisis and risk communication. Assess how leaders deal with communicative challenges and analyze how their modus operandi affects the outcome in terms of resilience, citizen perception, public confidence and trust;
Apply theories to cases in an academic essay to analyze and compare cases from a specified perspective, and offer a sound and balanced argumentation with an eye for the validity and reliability of data in crisis research.
Present—together with fellow students—arguments and analyses regarding the content and impact of communication on reputation and crisis response in a format appropriate for a broader professional audience and as input to expert groups;
Build, present and defend well-grounded arguments in oral communication through groups assignments, and engage in public debates about the issues related to crisis communication;
Provide strategic analysis and advice to decision-makers on crisis communication, and craft basic strategic messages to target audiences;
Differentiate between risk communication and crisis communication and the context in which both are applied;
Self-evaluate and reflect after interactive in-class work and individual assignment.

Timetable

On the right side of program front page of the stud yguide you will find links to the website and timetables, uSis and Brightspace.

Mode of Instruction

In the lectures, students will learn the key principles of research, and the relevant concepts and methodologies. Throughout the course, students will practice research design and methods by applying the concepts, testing theories, and analyzing empirical material and group presentations. The practical sessions will, amongst others, consist of in-class assignments, team performances, peer review and exercises and feature several compulsory formative (non-graded) assignments that will help the student prepare for the summative (graded) assignments. Reflections on academic literature are available at Brightspace.

Attendance is mandatory. Students are only allowed to miss a maximum of two sessions if there are special, demonstrable personal circumstances. The Board of Examiners, in consultation with the study advisors, will decide on such an exceptional exemption of mandatory attendance.

Total study load: 280 hours
Contact hours = 42 hours
Self-study hours = 238

In this 10 ects course, we will focus on the research skill assignment that is going to be part of your portfolio. Specific information on the portfolio assignment and the intended learning outcomes that are being acquired will be published in the syllabus of this course.

Assessment method

Assessment for this course is based on:

In-class group assignment on instructional/educational communication

5% of final grade
Grade can be compensated in case of a fail (grade < 5.50)
Resit not possible

One group assignment consisting of a presentation

15% of final grade
Grade can be compensated in case of a fail (grade < 5.50)
Resit not possible

One group assignment consisting of a vlog

10% of final grade
Grade can be compensated in case of a fail (grade < 5.50)
Resit not possible

Individual final paper (comparative case study analysis)

70% of final grade
Grade cannot be compensated, a 5.50 is required to pass the course
Resit possible
Resit will take the same form

Additional, formative (non-graded) assignments are an obligatory part of the course.

The calculated overall course grade must be at least 5.50 in order to pass the course. If the calculated overall course grade is lower than 5.50, students are also permitted to resit the 70% final paper.

In the case of written assessment methods, the examiner can always initiate a follow-up conversation with the student to establish whether the learning objectives have been met.

Transitional arrangement
Please be aware that passed partial grades obtained in academic year 2024-2025 are no longer valid during academic year 2025-2026.

Reading list

A selection of book chapters and articles, to be announced on Brightspace.

Registration

Register yourself via MyStudymap for each course, workgroup and exam (not all courses have workgroups and/or exams).
Do so on time, before the start of the course; some courses and workgroups have limited spaces. You can view your personal schedule in MyTimetable after logging in.
Registration for this course is possible from Wednesday 10 December 13.00h

Leiden University uses Brightspace as its online learning management system. After enrolment for the course in MyStudymap you will be automatically enrolled in the Brightspace environment of this course.

More information on registration via MyStudymap can be found on this page.

Contact

Dr. Wouter Jong, course coordinator w.jong@fgga.leidenuniv.nl

Dr. Andrea Bartolucci a.bartolucci@fgga.leidenuniv.nl

Crisis and Risk Communication