Coronavirus: Resilience and Disaster Preparedness

Since its foundation in 1986, the CSS - a center of competence for Swiss and international security policy - has analyzed a number of international crises and upheavals. These have included the end of the Cold War, the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Russia's annexation of Crimea and the rise of China. Like those addressed in the past, the ongoing corona pandemic will certainly lead to a variety of security policy implications, which we will investigate thoroughly in due time. However, some of our existing publications and media contributions on resilience and disaster preparedness can already help us to better understand how societies react to emergencies such as the one we are facing today. We have compiled a list of them below.

Publications

Distancing, But Not Socially. How resilience can help cope with the corona pandemic
Research shows that close social ties, personal networks and helping each other are crucial in dealing with severe crises. This includes the current corona crisis. Thus, fighting the virus is about physical and not “social distancing”, argues CSS’ Benjamin Scharte in his contribution for the CSS Blog.

National Economic Supply as an Emergency Precaution, CSS Analyses in Security Policy No. 253.
How is the supply of vital goods organized in Switzerland? What is the role of the state and what lies within the responsibility of private enterprises? This CSS Analyses by Andrin Hauri provides a compact overview.

Individual Disaster Preparedness: Explaining Disaster-related Information Seeking and Preparedness Behavior in Switzerland, CSS Risk and Resilience Report.
How well prepared is the Swiss population for disasters like the coronavirus? This CSS Study by Linda Maduz, Tim Prior, Florian Roth and Marco Käser investigates the drivers of information seeking and hazard preparedness behavior in the German and French speaking parts of Switzerland. In particular, a focus was placed on public preparedness towards pandemic risks.

Involving the Population in Resilience-oriented Civil Protection: Implications for Risk Communication, in: Political Crisis Management: Volume 2: Response - Participation - Resilience. (only in German)
How can social resilience to crises be strengthened? Why are parts of the population not willing or able to take preventive measures? And what does this mean for risk communication? You will find answers in this book chapter by Florian Roth.

Volunteerism in Disaster Management. Opportunities, Challenges and Instruments for -Improvement. Risk and Resilience Report.
The results of this study by Tim Prior and Florian Roth offer a wide range of instruments with which volunteer work in civil protection can be actively promoted.

Media Contributions

external page Swiss keep calm and rest on their months of stockpiles
One striking feature of the Swiss system is that ensuring the security of supply of essential goods and services is first and foremost the responsibility of the private sector, says CSS’ Andrin Hauri in an article by the Financial Times.

external page Ernstfall Pandemie: Das Coronavirus testet die Widerstandsfähigkeit Europas
In his conversation with Neue Zürcher Zeitung (NZZ), CSS expert Andrin Hauri does not currently see the state's resilience to crises in jeopardy. Social resilience even grows in such situations, he explains. Most people outgrow themselves in crisis situations.

external page Ö1 Europa-Journal: Corona and International Relations
How does the Corona crisis change international relations, and what measures were taken by Switzerland? The CSS' Benno Zogg joins on Radio Ö1's Europa-Journal (in German). 

external page The Briefing - Coronavirus
Why are some authoritarian countries in denial about the corona virus? The CSS' Benno Zogg joins Radio Monocle 24's The Briefing to explain Russia's slow response and why Belarus appears not to take the pandemic all that seriously.

Further publications on Socio-technical Resilience and Disaster Preparedness can be found here.

We would also like to draw your attention to upcoming publications that will appear in April:

• As planned, two CSS Analyses on “Artificial Intelligence in Civil Protection” and “The 50-Year Anniversary of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty” will be published on 8 April.
• On 30 April, we will publish our annual publication “Strategic Trends 2020” as scheduled. This year our authors examine the rise of China and the resulting challenges, including for Switzerland, from different perspectives.

In order to stay informed about new publications, events and media contributions from CSS in these extraordinary times, you can register for our CSS Newsletter here or follow us on external page Twitter, external page Facebook and external page LinkedIn. In addition, our researchers are still available to answer your questions via email or Skype.