Collective cognition in context: Explaining variation in the management of Europe's 2015 migration crisis

Abstract

Cognition is an essential first step in crisis management. This article conceptualizes crisis cognition as a collective and context-dependent process. Drawing on cognitive sociology, I argue that governmental structures and culture/identity shape cognitive schemas and communicative practices essential for collective cognition. I apply this framework to compare governments' recognition of the 2015 migration crisis in Luxembourg and Germany, which showed a puzzling gap in crisis preparation. The qualitative analysis triangulates interviews and other sources. In Germany, complex responsibilities, adversarial bureaucratic identities, and hubris inhibited cognition. In small Luxembourg, simple government structures and collective identity emphasizing vulnerability fostered timely cognition and preparation. I consider country size as macro-level context that shapes government structures and officials' identities, and critically discuss its role as an underlying explanation. This study introduces a sociological perspective on cognition to public administration, shows through which mechanisms context affects collective behavior, and proposes a comparative explanation for effective crisis management.