Crisis and Emergency Risk Communication

Catalog description

This course covers key concepts of crisis and risk communication theory and its practical application to emergent and catastrophic public health events. Crisis and emergency risk communication is among the central strategies by which government officials and community and organizational leaders promote critical protective actions to their constituents and stakeholders. This course will use a series of case studies to illustrate the principles, strategies, and tactics of effective risk communication. The course will also explore the shifting locus of authority as new media channels emerge and the information landscape continues to evolve, often moving away from centralized mass media brokers and towards more decentralized and informal models of information sharing and seeking.