Political Leadership in Disaster and Crisis Communication and Management

Hamish McLean is Senior Lecturer of Crisis and Disaster Management at Griffith University, Australia. He has 25 years of professional experience in emergency management, journalism and police media. His research focuses on political communication during disasters and risk communication.Jacqui Ewart is Professor of Journalism and Communication at Griffith University, Australia. She was a journalist and media manager for more than a decade. Her research interests include media coverage of, and communication about, disasters, media representations of cultural diversity, and radio audiences.

• 1. Introduction.- 2. Extraordinary politics in catastrophic times.- 3. Sampling disaster concepts.- 4. Political leadership in calamity.- 5. Frontline realities.- 6. Managing Relationships.- 7. Voices of Reason.- 8. Minding the Minders.- 9. Lessons Learned and Best Practices.