ABSTRACT
Technological developments led to the advancement of new tactics for terrorism that require risk and crisis communication initiatives. This chapter explores the historical trends of risk and crisis communication research, unraveling the rapid growth and evolution of both fields while noting similarities and differences between them, and reviews the development of academic research centers related to advancing the study and practice of risk and crisis communication. Large, eclectic arrays of federal agencies play a role in risk and crisis communication in the United States. Of special interest for risk and crisis communicators is the advent of the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001. Risk and crisis communication both deal and address intentional as well as unintentional risks or crises. Recently efforts have been made to combine risk and crisis communication into an area of research and practice defined as crisis and emergency risk communication.
