Governing the pandemic : the politics of navigating a mega crisis 1. The year of the unthinkable 2. What’s going on 3. Getting things done 4. Crafting narratives 5. Towards closure 6. Pathways to resilience. This open access book offers unique insights into how governments and governing systems particularly in advanced economies have responded to the immense challenges of managing the coronavirus pandemic and the ensuing disease COVID 19. Written by three eminent scholars in the field of the politics and policy of crisis management it offers a unique ‘bird’s eye’ view of the immense logistical and political challenges of addressing a worst case scenario that would prove the ultimate stress test for societies governments governing institutions and political leaders. It examines how governments and governing systems have (i) made sense of emerging transboundary threats that have spilled across health economic political and social systems (ii) mobilised systems of governance and often fearful and sceptical citizens (iii) crafted narratives amid high uncertainty about the virus and its impact and (iv) are working towards closure and a return to ‘normal’ when things can never quite be the same again. The book also offers the building blocks of pathways to future resilience. Succeeding and failing in all these realms is tied in with governance structures experts trust leadership capabilities and political ideologies. The book appeals to anyone seeking to understand ‘what’s going on’ but particularly academics and students across multiple disciplines journalists public officials politicians non governmental organisations and citizen groups. Arjen Boin is Professor of Public Institutions and Governance Institute of Political Science Leiden University the Netherlands. Allan McConnell is Professor of Public Policy at the University of Sydney Australia. Paul ‘t Hart is Professor of Public Administration at Utrecht University School of Governance the Netherland and a core faculty member of the Australia New Zealand School of Government (ANZSOG) Australia. .