A Tear in the Social Fabric: Communities Dealing with Socially Generated Crises

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to develop knowledge about demands and experiences relating to management of socially generated crises in local communities. Interviews were conducted in four municipalities with experiences of such situations, e.g., widely publicized murders, suicides or cases of sexual abuse. A modified grounded theory analysis of the interviews identified six central themes. Two themes pertained to the actual event and its consequences; two concerned the management of the crisis; and two themes focused on reactions and needs among those involved. Basic tensions were identified between confidentiality and openness, between support and accountability and between empathy and distancing. Similarities and differences in relation to management of other kinds of crises are discussed.

Why Worry? Motivation for Crisis Preparedness Work among Municipal Leaders in Sweden

“…It is also conceivable for crisis experiences to affect motivation negatively, for example, after failures of crisis management or strong criticism. This might in particular be the case after complex socially generated crises, which tend to be experienced as emotionally draining and where it is difficult to achieve satisfactory closure (Enander, Lajksjö, & Tedfeldt, ). The grounded theory approach applied in this study is generally deemed appropriate for developing concepts and hypotheses in relatively uncharted areas (Baran et al., ), but also calls for further validation.…”

Identifying Crisis Characteristics: Cross‐Case Relevant Crisis Character Variables for Public Administrations

“…Crisis management scholars require new analytical methods and frameworks for the understanding of today's complex crises (Boin & McConnell, 2007;Doktor, 2007;Enander, Lajksj€ o, & Tedfeldt, 2010;Gundel, 2005;Kouzmin, 2008;Lalonde, 2007;Quarantelli, 2001;Robert & Lajtha, 2002;Rosenthal, Boin, & Comfort, 2001;Roux-Dufort, 2007;Schulman, 2011;Topper & Lagadec, 2013). Searching for promising patterns in data can be a start of an analytic way of unbundling complex issues (Yin, 2014).…”

Citizens and Contingencies – Swedish Crisis Managers’ Views of the Public

“…Nevertheless, and importantly, small-scale contingencies contain many of the same elements as wide-scope disasters, hereby laying the same foundation for learning possibilities. These crisis situations have a social impact and affect the everyday lives not only of affected individuals, but in many cases also the involved communities (Enander, Lajksjö, and Tedfeldt, 2010). Further, these contingencies influence public leaders' views of citizens and consequently, also the interplay between official organisations and the general public.…”