The Moynihan Institute has embarked on a research project to determine how problems of governance are exacerbated when crises cross jurisdictional borders (from the local to the international).  From nuclear accidents, to health pandemics, to terrorist events and natural calamities, the Transboundary Crisis Management group has developed a case bank of over 200 cases of transboundary crises from across the globe.  Case studies are coded and entered into a database through which comparative analysis can systematically proceed.  Lessons learned about issues such as preparedness, issue framing, cross-agency coordination, interaction with the media, and decision making procedures are now being used to create training materials for a variety of policy communities as well as to facilitate scholars in the development of more robust theories of crisis behavior. 

The project also sponsors a graduate-level course, Crisis Management, taught each spring semester at the Maxwell School by Dr. Bruce Dayton.  The course focuses on the key dynamics that influence the way that decision makers perceive and respond to crises as well as the organizational and inter-organizational dynamics that impact crisis management. Real life case illustrations, exercises, and simulations give participants an interactive experience and a realistic understanding of the limitations and opportunities that arise in high-pressure crisis management situations.