The term ‘polycrisis’ has gained traction as we face one disaster after another. It’s overwhelming – but diagnosing the catastrophe is the first step to addressing itTwo months into 2025, the sense of dread is palpable. In the US, the year began with a terrorist attack; then came the fires that ravaged a city, destroying lives, homes and livelihoods. An extremist billionaire came to power and began proudly dismantling the government with a chainsaw. Once-in-a-century disasters are happening more like once a month, all amid devastating wars and on the heels of a pandemic.The word “unprecedented” has become ironically routine. It feels like we’re stuck in a relentless cycle of calamity, with no time to recover from one before the next begins. Continue reading...
The concept of "polycrisis," introduced by Edgar Morin and Anne Brigitte Kern, describes an era where multiple interconnected crises, such as climate change and polarization, exacerbate each other. Adam Tooze has popularized this term, emphasizing how these crises interact to create overwhelming challenges. The Cascade Institute, led by Thomas Homer-Dixon, works to address polycrisis through an analytical framework and resources on polycrisis.org, highlighting examples like the 2025 events. However, critics like Daniel Drezner argue that overlapping crises might not always have negative outcomes, suggesting they could lead to positive changes by challenging the status quo. Homer-Dixon views this as a critical moment for significant change.
