The Crisis concept and Crisology. From disruption to complex transformation

This article aims to examine the historical and conceptual evolution of the notion of crisis, emphasizing its increasing centrality in contemporary discourse across the political, economic, environmental, and public health domains. It is based on the premise that crisis, rather than representing an episodic disruption, has become a structural condition of late modernity, particularly in light of the emerging concept of polycrisis. The methodology employed is interdisciplinary and historically grounded, combining critical analysis of philosophical, theological, and political sources with an extensive review of literature in the social sciences, political theory, and epistemology. The study traces a diachronic trajectory of the concept of crisis – from its classical roots in Antiquity and medieval scholasticism, through its modern reconfigurations (especially in Enlightenment philosophy), to contemporary postmodern and systemic interpretations. This trajectory culminates in the contemporary understanding of polycrisis, in which multiple systemic crises (environmental, political, social, economic) coexist and mutually reinforce one another. Crisis is thus no longer perceived as an isolated event, but rather as a permanent and complex condition of present-day society – one that demands a systemic mode of thinking. Ultimately, the article advocates for the development of crisology as an emerging interdisciplinary field, arguing for the need to adopt systemic and transdisciplinary approaches in order to better understand and respond to the multiple, interconnected crises shaping the present world.