The course introduces crisis communication as a field of study and professional practice. It examines how organisations, public institutions and other actors communicate before, during and after crises, and how communication is shaped by uncertainty, time pressure, responsibility, trust and public attention. 

The course introduces the relationship between risk, preparedness and crisis management. Students do scenario-based workshops and exercises with both analytical and practical approaches to crisis communication. 

A central part of the course is the changing media environment in which contemporary crises unfold. The course therefore addresses digital and platform-based communication, misinformation, networked publics and the role of trust in fragmented media environments. It also introduces students to crisis communication in relation to systemic crises, where organisational, political, technological and societal factors interact. 

The course is an introductory course and does not require prior knowledge of crisis communication. It is academically connected to related courses in risk communication and issues management but has a distinct focus on crisis communication as an independent field of practice and analysis.