On Monday 23 March 2026, Security Lancaster hosted an interdisciplinary workshop, Polycrisis and Human Vulnerabilities, marking the official launch of our new research theme, Polycrisis. Led by theme co leads Professor Charlotte Baker and Professor Simon Cook, the event brought together academics and policy-oriented experts to examine how overlapping global crises heighten and compound human vulnerability.

The Polycrisis theme at Security Lancaster explores how intersecting global challenges (environmental, technological, economic, social, and geopolitical) interact in ways that amplify risk and undermine resilience. More information on the theme is available here: Polycrisis - Lancaster University

Understanding compounding crises

The workshop opened with a framing session led by Professor Charlotte Baker, Professor Simon Cook, and facilitator Dee Hennessey, introducing participants to the concept of polycrisis and its relevance to contemporary security research. They highlighted how climate disruption, digital transformation, pandemics, conflict, and economic instability increasingly collide to produce complex, multilayered forms of vulnerability.

In keeping with the theme’s interdisciplinary ethos, the event foregrounded the lived, structural, and systemic dimensions of crisis, emphasizing how power, institutions, and social location shape inequalities in exposure to risk and capacities for response.

Keynote provocations: perspectives on risk, health and geopolitics

A series of keynote provocations set the tone for the day:

• Sam Olsen (Sibylline) offered insights into how geopolitical instability, shifting power dynamics, and technological change interact to reshape global risk landscapes. Drawing on his experience as a geopolitical analyst, he underscored the need for integrated, forward looking approaches to complex crises.
• Dr Courtney McNamara (Newcastle University) examined how international trade, labour market dynamics, and macroeconomic policies generate health inequities that intensify during periods of crisis. Her work highlights the often-overlooked structural drivers of vulnerability.
• Dr Laura Considine (Leeds University) explored the role of language, narrative, and trust in global nuclear politics, demonstrating how meaning-making practices influence both policy and public understanding in high stakes security environments.

The keynote session concluded with a lively Q&A, prompting rich discussion about the relationships between systemic shocks, governance, and human wellbeing.

Workshops and scenario building

The morning workshop, Mapping Vulnerability in the Polycrisis, invited participants to identify intersecting risks across multiple domains, from health and environment to technology and conflict, while considering how these risks accumulate and cascade.

After lunch, the second workshop, Futures Thinking: Vulnerabilities in 2035, challenged participants to explore how current trends may evolve over the next decade. Through collaborative scenario building, attendees reflected on emerging threats and pinpointed areas where policy, research, and institutional innovation are urgently needed.

From analysis to action

The afternoon roundtable brought together experts from Lancaster and beyond:

• Dr Faraz Ahmed (Health and Medicine, Lancaster University)
• Dr Laura Considine (Global Nuclear Politics, Leeds University)
• Dr Temidayo Eseonu (School of Global Affairs, Lancaster University)
• Professor Robert Geyer (School of Global Affairs, Lancaster University)
• Professor Mark Levine (Psychology, Lancaster University)
• Dr Courtney McNamara (Public Health, Newcastle University)

Together, they explored pathways from analysis to concrete action, considering how research communities, institutions, and governments might better respond to interconnected crises and support vulnerable populations, and what positive role academia could play.

The day concluded with a collective reflection on insights gained and commitments for ongoing collaboration. Participants emphasized the importance of interdisciplinary dialogue, inclusive research practices, and proactive engagement with policymakers and practitioners.

Professor Charlotte Baker and professor Simon Cook, Polycrisis co-leads, said: “Our thanks go out to all the speakers and participants for such a thought-provoking and stimulating day. The multi-disciplinary approach brought a variety of perspectives and an exceptional richness to the discussions. We look forward to taking some of the ideas forward together for the benefit of greater societal resilience”

Professor Basil Germond, co-director of Security Lancaster said: “I was delighted by the energy and fresh thinking participants brought to the workshop. By approaching polycrisis and cascading vulnerabilities through a stronger social science lens, not just traditional risk analysis, we opened up innovative ways of understanding today’s resilience challenges. This approach strengthens Security Lancaster’s position as a trusted partner for those seeking forward looking solutions to complex security problems”.