The Impact of Significant Events on Public Policy and Institutional Change: Towards a Research Agenda

Abstract

Data shows that significant events, such natural disasters, anthropogenic disasters and malign activities by hostile actors, often having cross-border effects, have been on the rise. However, the studies of the effects of those events on public policies, governance and institutions remain inconclusive. In this article we present a research agenda that pro-poses the classification of the significant events on the basis of their characteristics, backing it with a newly compiled data set on significant events that took place in Lithuania in 2004–2020. It also offers three main pathways to change setting out causal mechanisms of how those events can affect policy and institutional change. We conclude with concrete proposals for further research that could provide both theoretically innovative and policyrelevant insights on crisis management and policy changes affecting welfare institutions and the resilience of society.