Understanding Crisis Communication: The Interplay of Social Media, Trust, Scientific knowledge and Public Policy

This book offers a rigorous examination of how crises—particularly nuclear disasters—are communicated through media and how these narratives shape public trust, policy-making, and scientific discourse. It investigates the growing influence of social media in framing crisis narratives and their impact on perception and decision-making.

Drawing on detailed analyses of the SL-1 Accident (1961), Three Mile Island (1979), Chernobyl (1986), and Fukushima Daiichi (2011), the book identifies patterns and lessons from past communication strategies. Beyond these case studies, it engages with theoretical frameworks of crisis communication, explores the interplay between scientific knowledge and public policy, and underscores the vital role of transparency and trust in effective crisis management.

Designed for scholars, practitioners, and policy-makers, this work equips readers with critical insights and practical tools to navigate the complexities of crisis communication in an era defined by digital media.

Dr. Jiankun Gong is Senior Lecturer in the Department of Media and Communication Studies, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Universiti Malaya, Malaysia. His research focuses on crisis and risk communication, media effects in digital environments, digital journalism, and health and science communication, with particular interest in wellbeing and the public understanding of science.

Dr. Muhammad Zaiamri Zainal Abidin is Senior Lecturer in the Department of Media and Communication Studies, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Universiti Malaya, Malaysia. His expertise spans strategic communication, public relations, new media and ageing, and media law and ethics, with a focus on how communication strategies and digital platforms shape behaviour and social wellbeing.

Professor Kwan-Hoong Ng is Emeritus Professor of Medical Physics in the Department of Biomedical Imaging, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya, Malaysia. His work centres on medical physics, radiology, and radiation protection, and he has served as an expert for the International Atomic Energy Agency, advising on the safe and effective use of nuclear technologies in medicine.