Subnational risk and crisis management

The project aims to establish an international research network on subnational management of transboundary crises. The objective is to increase knowledge, strengthen exchanges and foster research collaboration in this field.

In a world increasingly characterised by transboundary and multiple crises, public organisations face significant challenges. The subnational level is central to the provision of essential public services but often suffers from a lack of resources, whilst demands for robust risk and crisis management capacity are growing. International research collaboration and comparative approaches are crucial to understanding the subnational conditions for effective risk and crisis management, including defence issues.

The project aims to establish an international research network in this field, focusing on turbulence management in transboundary crises at the subnational level from a comparative perspective. The network will facilitate the exchange of knowledge on subnational risk and crisis management strategies in an international context and enhance global understanding of how different political and administrative systems manage preparation, operation and the aftermath. During the first year, the network plans to expand to include collaboration with a broader research community.

Activities

Several activities will be organised during the course of the project, and the group’s first meeting took place in Östersund on 26–28 January 2026.

The team also organised a joint session entitled “Resilience of Local Authorities” at the International Conference on Resilient Systems (ICRS) in Delft, the Netherlands, on 23–25 March 2026. The session focused on sub-national actors’ strategies for risk and crisis management in turbulent times.

In addition, a few presentations were held to communicate ongoing research within the network, for example, our study on the (re)construction of civil defence within a Swedish County Administrative Board. The abstracts are published in:

• ICRS - Book of Abstracts

A special issue is currently being organised in the academic journal European Journal for Security Research, which deals with the resilience of local authorities in turbulent times.

• European Journal for Security Research
  Special Issue: Resilience of Local Authorities: Navigating Governance Turbulence

Facts & Partners

Project period: 251001—270930

Funder: Riskbankens Jubileumsfond

Researcher

• Gertrud Alirani (Mid Sweden University)
• Olof Oscarsson (Mid Sweden University)
• Erna Danielsson (Mid Sweden University)
• Pär Olausson (Mid Sweden University)
• Frank Fiedrich (Bergische Universität Wuppertal)
• Sylvia Bach (Bergische Universität Wuppertal)
• Patricia Schütte (University of Applied Sciences for Police and Public Administration)
• Christine Große (LTU)
• Anton Holmström (LTU)
• Simon Andersson (LTU)

Partner

• Bergische Universität Wuppertal
• University of Applied Sciences for Police and Public Administration
• Risk and Crisis Research Centre