Security Communication 2102-BW-M-D1KWZB

1. Psychosocial Conditioning of Communication: Theoretical Approaches, Practical Applications
Issues related to information reception in the psychological and social context, including the importance of emotions, collective experience, and ingrained response patterns.
A review of factors influencing risk perception—including the availability effect, locus of control, moral distance, and previous crisis experience.
The importance of trust in institutions and information sources in the context of message effectiveness and social acceptance.
The Social Amplification of Risk Framework (SARF) theory as a tool explaining why identical information can evoke different social reactions in different contexts.
Disinformation and disruption in the communication environment—the impact of information overload, inconsistent messages, and channel diversity on collective responses.

2. Institutional Communication in National Security Structures
The structure of the internal security system in Poland, with emphasis on the division of competences between central and local administration, uniformed services, and supporting institutions.

Communication as an integral element of crisis management — the significance of information planning, message coherence, and source traceability.

Relations between central and local levels in the flow of information and communication responsibility — potential tensions and coordination challenges.

Legal foundations for the conduct of public information activities by state institutions, including specific regulations for emergency and extraordinary situations.

Social trust capital as an institutional resource determining the effectiveness of communication and public compliance during threats.

3. Strategies and Models of Crisis Communication
Communication within the crisis management cycle — distinction between the prevention, escalation, stabilization, and reputation recovery phases.

The CERC model (Crisis and Emergency Risk Communication) as a dynamic approach tailored to different stages of a threat, with attention to tone, content, and communication channels.

The concept of Image Restoration Theory — techniques for image repair, institutional responses to criticism, and the role of responsibility and transparency as strategic components.

The importance of message language: distinctions between technical and public-oriented communication, the role of empathy and clarity in fostering understanding and reducing uncertainty.

Audience-specific message differentiation — from operational instructions to stabilizing narratives aimed at rebuilding trust.

4. Media, the Digital Sphere, and Information Security
Transformations of the information ecosystem in the digital era: acceleration of content circulation, source decentralization, and the hybrid character of modern communication.

The role of traditional and social media in message management — opportunities and risks associated with virality and the dynamics of digital platforms.

Principles of cooperation with the media and public communication in sensitive situations — institutional responsibility for accuracy, transparency, and clarity of information.

Mechanisms for countering disinformation, including real-time rebuttal, fact-checking, and behavioral analysis of public reactions.

Communication as an element of state information resilience — understood not only as the transmission of messages, but as a process of shaping social attitudes and legitimizing public authority during crises.

Course coordinators

Term 2026Z:

Wojciech Łukowski
Jacek Ziółkowski

Term 2025Z:

Wojciech Łukowski

Mode

Classroom

Prerequisites (description)

Students entering the course should possess high school-level knowledge of social studies, demonstrate critical thinking about social and political phenomena, be proficient in traditional and digital media, and demonstrate the ability to work collaboratively and create coherent multimedia presentations. The course aims to familiarize students with basic theories of social and political communication, as well as their possible and desirable adaptations for use in the field of internal security. During the course, students acquire the knowledge and skills to actively participate in creating communication solutions, including those dedicated to security issues.

Learning outcomes

Knowledge
K_W02 – Identifies and explains fundamental concepts of social sciences relevant to communication processes in the field of security.

K_W03 – Describes the organizational structure and functional role of institutions responsible for internal and public security.

K_W04 – Understands principles, functions, and mechanisms of social communication, particularly in the context of risk and emergency situations.

Skills
K_U05 – Applies principles of effective, audience-oriented communication in professional security-related contexts.

K_U07 – Analyses and interprets social phenomena relevant to public safety, including information flow and public perception in crisis scenarios.

Social competences
K_K02 – Demonstrates responsibility and ethical awareness regarding the role of professional communication in public safety operations; understands the impact of communication on trust and social attitudes.

Assessment criteria

Obtaining credit for the course requires taking and passing the final test. The final grade is based on the results of this test, administered during the last class, and the student's ongoing activity throughout the course. Activity is understood as participation in teamwork, workshop exercises, and problem-solving. The degree of substantive preparation, knowledge of the recommended literature, the ability to formulate sound conclusions, and in-depth reflection on the issues discussed are also assessed. Student Workload (ETCS Points):
Student Activities/Hourly Workload
Contact Hours: Participation in in-class tutorials - workload: 30 hours
Contact Hours: Participation in exam sessions and consultations (during on-call hours) - workload: 5 hours
Independent Study: Studying literature and preparing for current classes - workload: 15 hours
Independent Study: Teamwork, preparing a multimedia presentation - workload: 10 hours
Independent Study: Independent Study and preparation for the test exam - workload: 15 hours
Total Student Workload (hours): 75 hours
Number of ECTS Points: 3.0 ECTS

The final test is the basic requirement for passing the course. The test verifies knowledge of key theories and concepts in the field of communication in the context of security, including knowledge of institutional structures, communication mechanisms in threat situations, and the ability to interpret phenomena related to public security.

A positive final grade proves that the student has the knowledge and skills necessary to consciously and professionally participate in communication processes related to safety.

Bibliography

Required reading
Literatura podstawowa
Dobek-Ostrowska, B. (1999). Podstawy komunikowania społecznego ,. Astrum.
Dojwa-Turczyńska, K., & Bodziany, M. (2013). Public relations instytucji bezpieczeństwa. Wydawnictwo Uczelniane Wyższej Szkoły Oficerskiej Wojsk Lądowych.
Domalewska, D. (2020). Wielowymiarowość komunikacji w kontekście bezpieczeństwa: Komunikacja w sytuacjach kryzysowych i komunikacja strategiczna. Wydawnictwo Akademii Sztuki Wojennej.
Griffin E. (2003). Podstawy komunikacji społecznej, Gdańskie Wydawnictwo Psychologiczne
Gryz, J., & Kitler, W. (Red.). (2007). System reagowania kryzysowego. Wydawnictwo Adam Marszałek.
Kahneman D. (2024). Pułapki myślenia. O myśleniu szybkim i wolnym, Media Rodzina
Olejnik, T. (2017). Zarządzanie kryzysowe a komunikacja, czyli jak i kiedy informować ludzi. Wydawnictwo Naukowe Dolnośląskiej Szkoły Wyższej.

Poznańska, A. (2012). Komunikacja medialna a sfera publiczna: Szanse i zagrożenia. Karkonoska Państwowa Szkoła Wyższa.

Rządowe Centrum Bezpieczeństwa. (2024). Księga komunikacji kryzysowej: Teoria i praktyka. RCB.

Sobera, W. (2023). Profesjonalizacja komunikowania w sytuacji kryzysowej: Studium przypadku. Uniwersytet Śląski.

Żebrowski, A. (2016). Walka informacyjna w asymetrycznym środowisku bezpieczeństwa międzynarodowego: Wybrane problemy. Wydawnictwo Naukowe Uniwersytetu Pedagogicznego w Krakowie.

Pietrek, G. (2025). Komunikacja kryzysowa w systemie ochrony ludności: Wybrane zagadnienia. Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Przyrodniczo-Humanistycznego w Siedlcach.

Literatura uzupełniająca
Coombs, W. T. (2021). Ongoing crisis communication: Planning, managing, and responding (6th ed.). SAGE Publications.

Diers-Lawson, A., Schwarz, A., Meissner, F., & Ravazzani, S. (Eds.). (2024). Risk and crisis communication in Europe: Towards integrating theory and practice in unstable and turbulent times. Routledge.

Heath, R. L., & O’Hair, H. D. (Eds.). (2009). Handbook of risk and crisis communication. Routledge.

Renn, O. (2008). Risk governance: Coping with uncertainty in a complex world. Earthscan / Routledge.

Taylor, B. C., & Bean, H. (Eds.). (2019). The handbook of communication and security. Routledge.

Ulmer, R. R., Seeger, M. W., & Coombs, W. T. (2011). Effective crisis communication: Moving from crisis to opportunity (2nd ed.). SAGE Publications.

Carreira, C., Mendes, A., Ferreira, J. F., & Christin, N. (2025). A systematic review of security communication strategies: Concepts, typologies, and applications. Manuscript submitted for publication.