Skip to main content

The Public Policy Dimension of Resilience in Natural Disaster Management: Sweden’s Gudrun and Per Storms

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Book cover Disaster and Development

Part of the book series: Environmental Hazards ((ENHA))

Abstract

This chapter conducts an analysis of learning and policy change as a basis for building resilience to extreme events. Influenced by policy process theory and based on a comparative case-study of two storms in Sweden (Gudrun in 2005 and Per in 2007), the analysis poses three empirical questions: What policy beliefs changed as the result of storm Gudrun and did those changes result in any revision of policy programs? Did the observed changes positively impact the response to storm Per? And, what factors may shed light on the processes of policy change and implementation that took place in between these events? The concluding section discusses the importance of policy process analysis and the conditions related to institutionalizing experience as a basis for resilience.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 129.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Adger, W. N., Dessai, S., Goulden, M., Hulme, M., Lorenzoni, I., Nelson, D. R., Naess, L. O., & Wolf, J., & Wreford, A. (2009). Are there social limits to adaptation to climate change? Climatic Change, 93, 335–354.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Anderies, J., Ostrom, E., & Janssen, M. (2004). A Framework to analyze the robustness of social-ecological systems from an institutional perspective. Ecology and Society, 9(1), 18.

    Google Scholar 

  • Baumgartner, F., & Jones, B. (1991). Agenda dynamics and policy subsystems. The Journal of Politics, 53(4), 1044–1074.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Birkland, T. (2006). Lessons of disaster: Policy change after catastrophic events. Washington, D.C: Georgetown University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Boin, A. (2009). The new world of crises and crisis management: Implications for policymaking and research. Review of Policy Research, 26(4), 367–377.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Boin, A., & Otten, M. (2006). Beyond the crisis window for reform: Some ramifications for implementation. Journal of Contingencies and Crisis Management, 4(3), 149–161.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Boin, A., ‘t Hart, P., Stern, E., & Sundelius, B. (2005). The politics of crisis management: Public leadership under pressure. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Boin, A., ‘t Hart, P., & McConnell, A. (2009). Crisis exploitation: Political and policy impacts of framing contests. Journal of European Public Policy, 16(1), 81–106.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brändström, A., Kuipers, S., & Daléus, P. (2008). The politics of tsunami responses: Comparing patterns of blame management in Scandinavia. In A. Boin, A. McConnell, & P. ‘t Hart (Eds.), Governing After Crisis (pp. 114-147). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Capano, G. (2012). Policy dynamics and change: The never-ending puzzle. In E. Araral, S. Fritzen, M. Howlett, M. Ramesh, & X. Wu (Eds.), Routledge handbook of public policy (pp 451-461). London: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Clark, W., Jones, D., & Holling, C. (1979). Lessons for ecological policy design: A case-study of ecosystem management. Ecological Modelling, 7(1), 1–53.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Comfort, L., Boin, A., & Demchak, C. (2011). Designing resilience: Preparing for extreme events. Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dagens, N. (2006). Eon går emot regeringen om elpriser, published 2 January, 2006, http://www.dn.se/ekonomi/eon-gar-emot-regeringen-om-elpriser/. Accessed 20 June 2013.

  • deLeon, P., & Weible, C. (2010). Policy process research for democracy: A commentary on Lasswell’s vision. International Journal of Policy Studies, 1(2), 23–34.

    Google Scholar 

  • Downs, A. (1972). Up and down with ecology: The issue attention cycle. Public Interest, 28, 38–50.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fiksel, J. (2006). Sustainability and resilience: Towards a systems approach. Sustainability: Science, Practice, and Policy, 2(2), 14–21.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gerber, B. (2007). Disaster management in the United States: Examining key political and policy changes. Policy Studies Journal, 35(2), 227–238.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gunderson, L. (2003). Adaptive dancing: Interactions between social resilience and ecological crises. In F. Berkes, J. Colding, & C. Folke (Eds.), Navigating socio-ecological systems: Building resilience for complexity and change (pp. 33–52). Oxford: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Handmer, J., & Dovers, S. (2007). Handbook of disaster and emergency policies and institutions. London: Earthscan.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hansén, D. (2009). Effects of buzzwords on experiential learning: The Swedish case of ‘Shared Situation Awareness’. Journal of Contingencies and Crisis Management, 17(3), 169–178.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hjern, B. (1982). Implementation research: The link gone missing. Journal of Public Policy, 2(3), 301–308.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kapucu, N., & Van Wart, M. (2006). The evolving role of the public sector in managing catastrophic disasters: Lessons learned. Administration and Society, 38(3), 279–308.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lebel, L., Anderies, J., Campbell, B., Folke, C., Hatfield-Dodds, S., Hughes, T., & Wilson, J. (2006). Governance and the capacity to manage resilience in regional social-ecological systems. Ecology and Society, 11(1), 19.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lindblom, C. (1979). Still muddling, not yet through. Public Administration Review, 39(6), 517–526.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ludwig, D., Mangel, M., & Haddad, B. (2001). Ecology, conservation and public policy. Annual Review of Ecology and Systematics, 32, 481–517.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • May, P. (1991). Reconsidering policy design: Policies and publics. Journal of Public Policy, 11(2), 187–206.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • May, P. (1992). Policy learning and failure. Journal of Public Policy, 12(4), 331–354.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • March, J., & Olsen, J. (1975). The uncertainty of the past: Organizational learning under ambiguity. European Journal of Political Research, 3(2), 147–171.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mazmanian, D., & Sabatier, P. 1983. Implementation and public policy. Glenville: Scott Foresman.

    Google Scholar 

  • Narby, P. (2009). From experience to implementation: Learning within the Swedish crisis management system between storm Gudrun and Per. Stockholm: CRISMART (unpublished manuscript, in Swedish)

    Google Scholar 

  • Nice, D., & Grosse, A. (2001). Crisis policymaking: Some implications for program management. In A. Farazmand (Ed.), Handbook of crisis and emergency management (pp. 55–68). New York: Marcel Dekker

    Google Scholar 

  • Nohrstedt, D., & Weible, C. (2010). The logic of policy change after crisis: Proximity and subsystem interaction. Risks, Hazards, and Crisis in Public Policy, 1(2), 1–32.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • O’Toole, L. (2000). Research on policy implementation: Assessment and prospects. Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory, 10(2), 263–288.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Parker, C. F., & Stern, E. (2002). Blindsided? September 11 and the origins of strategic surprise. Political Psychology, 23(3), 601–630.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Parker, C., & Dekker, S. (2008). September 11 and post-crisis investigation: Exploring the role and impact of the 9/11 commission. In A. Boin, A. McConnell, & P. ‘t Hart (Eds.), Governing after crisis: The politics of investigation, accountability and learning (pp. 285–282). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Parker, C., Stern, E., Paglia, E., & Brown, C. (2009). Preventable catastrophe? The hurricane Katrina disaster revisited. Journal of Contingencies and Crisis Management, 17(4), 206–220.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Post and Telecom Authority. (2005a). Electronic communication and the storm January 8-9 2005: How to establish robust communications? (in Swedish). http://www.pts.se/upload/Documents/SE/Rapport_stormen_8_9_jan05_2005_9%20doc.pdf.

  • Post and Telecom Authority. (2005b). PTS report to KBM after the storm January 8–9 2005. (in Swedish)

    Google Scholar 

  • Pralle, S. (2003). Venue shopping, political strategy and policy change: The internationalization of Canadian forest advocacy. Journal of Public Policy, 23(3), 233–360.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sabatier, P., & Jenkins-Smith, H. (1993). Policy change and learning: An advocacy coalition approach. Boulder: Westview Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sabatier, P., & Jenkins-Smith, H. (1999). The advocacy coalition framework: An assessment. In P. Sabatier (Ed.), Theories of the policy process (pp. 117–168). Boulder: Westview Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sabatier, P., & Weible, C. (2007). The advocacy coalition: Innovations and clarifications. In P. Sabatier (Ed.), Theories of the policy process (2nd ed., pp. 189–220). Boulder: Westview Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schofield, J. (2001). Time for a revival? Public policy implementation: A review of the literature and an agenda for the future. International Journal of Management Reviews, 3(3), 245–263.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stern, E. (1997). Crisis and learning: A conceptual balance sheet. Journal of Contingencies and Crisis Management, 5, 69–86.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency. (2005). Crisis management in the wake of the storm (in Swedish). http://ndb.msb.se/Document/Report/633275274240143750.pdf.

  • Swedish Energy Agency. (2007). Storm Per: Lessons for a more secure energy supply after the second severe storm in the 21st century. Stockholm: The Swedish Energy Agency. http://webbshop.cm.se/System/TemplateView.aspx?p=Energimyndigheten&view=default&cat=/Broschyrer&id=87944afba6814e48808ea05f5c641e06’.

  • Swedish Government. (bill 2005/2006:27). Secure electricity grids. http://www.regeringen.se/content/1/c6/05/13/45/a13a3cfb.pdf.

  • Swedish Government. (bill 2005/2006:133). Collaboration in crisis: Towards a safer community. http://www.regeringen.se/content/1/c6/06/05/71/fb61f905.pdf.

  • Swedish Parliament. (2005). Measures in communications following the 2005 storm in southern Sweden. http://www.riksdagen.se/sv/Dokument-Lagar/Kammaren/Protokoll/_GS09104/.

  • ‘t Hart, P. (1993). Symbols, rituals and power: The lost dimension of crisis management. Journal of Contingencies and Crisis Management, 1(1), 36–50.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Thompkins, E., & Adger, N. (2004). Does adaptive management of natural resources enhance resilience to climate change? Ecology and Society, 9(2), 1–14.

    Google Scholar 

  • True, J., Jones, B., & Baumgartner, F. (2007). Punctuated equilibrium theory: Explaining change and stability in public policymaking. In P. Sabatier (Ed.), Theories of the policy process (2nd ed., pp. 155–188). Boulder: Westview Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vogel, C., Moser, S., Kasperson, R., & Dabelko, D. (2007). Linking vulnerability, adaptation and resilience science to practice: Pathways, players and partnerships. Global Environmental Change, 17(3–4), 349–364.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Weible, C., & Nohrstedt, D. (2012). The advocacy coalition framework: Coalitions, learning and policy change. In E. Araral, S. Fritzen, M. Howlett, M. Ramesh, & X. Wu (Eds.), Routledge handbook of public policy (pp. 125–137). London: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wise, C. (2006). Organizing for Homeland security after Katrina: Is adaptive management what’s missing? Public Administration Review, 66(2), 302–318.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Daniel Nohrstedt .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2014 Springer International Publishing Switzerland

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Nohrstedt, D., Parker, C. (2014). The Public Policy Dimension of Resilience in Natural Disaster Management: Sweden’s Gudrun and Per Storms. In: Kapucu, N., Liou, K. (eds) Disaster and Development. Environmental Hazards. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-04468-2_14

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics