EUI-ESM Conference on Crisis Communication

Florence School of Transnational Governance and the European Stability Mechanism are pleased to announce a policy-academic conference on crisis communication taking place in Florence, Italy on 28 November 2025.

The two institutions have recently published a Background Paper and a Handbook on Crisis Communication for Public Institutions as outcomes of a joint research and training project. The overall aim of the project is to address a gap in the crisis communication literature, which tends to be more private sector oriented, and to bring together the experience of policymakers and the academic approaches to crisis communication.

This conference builds on these two publications and is open for submissions of new and innovative papers that investigate crisis communication cases and build on key concepts and frameworks from crisis communication literature. While crisis communication of public institutions is the main topic of the conference, papers focusing on private actors are also welcome when there is a clear relevance for public institutions.

Some of the broad themes the conference aims to address are:

• Pre-crisis, crisis, and post-crisis communication strategies of public institutions
• Content, form, timing, and channels of crisis communication
• Case studies (migration, health, diplomacy, security, finance, and other)
• Communication of unpopular policies and crisis decisions
• Reputation, stigma, and crisis communication
• The role of social media and generative AI in crisis communication

Each accepted paper will be presented and discussed during the conference, which will also be attended by policy and communication practitioners and keynote speakers. The aim of the conference is to facilitate a dialogue on effective crisis communication across sectors. Participants will thus benefit from networking and community-building opportunities in an informal environment.

Submission guidelines

This conference accepts three types of submissions:

• Abstracts of up to 300 words for papers to be submitted before the conference
• Work-in-progress papers that would benefit from presentation and discussion
• Full papers that have been published in the past five years

To apply for the conference, please submit your paper or abstract together with your CV through the registration platform by 30 June 2025. Academics at all stages of their careers are invited to apply. All submissions will be reviewed by the conference organisers based on their quality, originality, and innovation and only a select number of authors will be invited as conference participants.

Financial support

Costs of travel and accommodation in Florence are covered for all conference participants, as well as meals during the conference and a social dinner.

Contacts

Questions can be addressed to the conference organisers Jakov Bojovic (EUI, Jakov.Bojovic@eui.eu) and Juliana Dahl (ESM, J.Dahl@esm.europa.eu).

Register

Call for papers