Robust Governance

This open access book challenges conventional assumptions about public administration by examining how governments adapt and sustain essential public services during times of unprecedented crisis. This topic has become increasingly pressing in recent years due to a growing number of pervasive societal events, including the financial crisis, the refugee crisis, Brexit, the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Focusing on the closure and reopening of schools during the COVID-19 pandemic, the book assesses how nine European countries sought to maintain the delivery of public services in order to safeguard child wellbeing. It argues that positive, adaptive and innovative governmental responses emerged during the pandemic in relation to education, advanced by interactions between local, regional and national governments, and between politicians, experts and scientists. By mapping an agenda for future research, it also demonstrates how public organizations can respond robustly and uphold key functions and services during times of crisis.