Pragmatism and Political Crisis Management

Principle and Practical Rationality During the Financial Crisis

Successful Public Governance series

Christopher Ansell, Professor of Political Science, University of California, Berkeley, US and Martin Bartenberger, independent IT Consultant, Germany

Crisis management has become one of the core challenges facing governments, but successful crisis response depends on effective public leadership. Building on insights from Pragmatist philosophy, this deeply nuanced book provides guidance and direction for public leaders tackling the most challenging tasks of the 21st century.

‘This highly original and engaging book moves the dial for scholars of both crisis management and political science. Chris Ansell and Martin Bartenberger offer what strategic crisis managers so badly need: a political theory of crisis management. They draw on the Pragmatist tradition to formulate principles that help strategic crisis managers navigate periods of deep uncertainty. A notable achievement!’
– Arjen Boin, Leiden University, the Netherlands