States of crisis.

Summary Crises, emergencies, catastrophes, and disasters have become salient on the agenda of governments across Europe and in the United States over the last few decades. Besides preparing for extreme events such as pandemics, terrorist attacks, and major disasters, public authorities also deal on a recurrent basis with health scandals, floods, urban riots, industrial accidents, technological breakdowns, massive opposition to megaprojects, and the prolonged effects of the financial meltdown. Governing in this instance thus implies being ready to manage a range of events that hold the capacity to destabilize the social, economic, and political fabric. (beginning).