Before Crisis – The Practice of Effective Risk Communication

Before Crisis: The Practice of Effective Risk Communication provides theoretically grounded, data-driven, and research-based recommendations for communicating about risks before they manifest into full-blown crises. Authors Timothy and Deanna Sellnow explore strategies for communicating risk in diverse contexts through theories, best practices, extended applications and examples, and ethical considerations.

Part I of the text describes the role of risk communication in preventing and recovering from crises, ethical questions to consider when doing so, and the role of dialogue in learning. Part II provides a detailed explanation for creating effective risk messages. The chapters clarify how to operationalize each component of the IDEA model: internalization, distribution, explanation, and action. Part III presents strategies for overcoming challenges to effective risk communication rooted in audience diversity, such as rhetorical sensitivity, crisis denial, and competing narratives.

Timely and essential, Before Crisis is an exemplary text for courses and programs in crisis communication, strategic communication, public relations, and management. It is also a practical and valuable reference for communication professionals.

Deanna D. Sellnow is Luminary Research Professor of Strategic Communication in the Nicholson School of Communication and Media at the University of Central Florida. She conducts research on strategic instructional risk and crisis communication in a variety of contexts, including natural disasters, health epidemics/pandemics, biosecurity, terrorism, and agricultural biotechnology.