Societies of Anxiety and Fear - (Hardcover)

About the Book

Societies of Anxiety and Fear explores how overlapping crises -- pandemic, war, climate change, and digital upheaval -- shape our world. Combining theory and research, it reveals how fear drives politics, institutions, and collective behavior, offering insights into resilience and rebuilding trust.

Book Synopsis

We live in an age of polycrisis--pandemics, wars, climate emergencies, and digital upheavals shape our everyday lives. Societies of Anxiety and Fear. Post-Pandemic and Wartime Reflections reveals how fear and uncertainty are not only personal feelings but powerful social and political forces redefining our world. Drawing on political science, sociology, psychology, and media studies, this book explores how institutions, communities, and individuals navigate overlapping crises. From Poland's unique experiences to global perspectives, it examines trust, solidarity, and resilience in turbulent times. A thought-provoking read for anyone seeking to understand our anxious era--and the possibilities for shaping a more secure future.

Contributors are: Teresa Astramowicz-Leyk, Adam Bartnicki, Kornelia Batko, Ilona Biernacka-Ligęza, Bożena Dziemidok-Olszewska, Olga Grajek, Karolina Grzyb, Damian Guzek, Joanna Kukier, Elżbieta Kużelewska, Maciej Marmola, Marta Michalczuk-Wlizlo, Joanna Marszalek-Kawa, Tatyana Nagornyak, Agata Olszanecka-Marmola, Edyta Pietrzak, Marlena Piotrowska, Danuta Plecka, Anna Siewierska, Mateusz Sobiech, Agnieszka Turska-Kawa, and Patryk Wawrzyński.

About the Author

Joanna Marszalek-Kawa - Professor of Social Sciences and Head of the Department of Political Systems at Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, Poland. Her research focuses on parliamentarism, political system transformations, and memory politics. Author and editor of over 500 academic works, she has led numerous projects funded by the National Science Centre and the Ministry of Education and Science of Poland. Editor-in-Chief of several journals, including Polish Political Science Yearbook.

Kornelia Batko, Ph.D. (2011), is a University Professor at the Institute of Political Science, University of Silesia. Her research focuses on the role of big data and artificial intelligence in healthcare and public policy. She leads and participates in projects dedicated to digital transformation, digital competences, institutional trust, and evidence-based policymaking.