Civil Society Organisations in Crisis Response Systems: A Literature Review, Collaboration Models, and Roles Across the Crisis Management Cycle

Contemporary crisis response systems increasingly rely on the involvement of civil society organisations (CSOs), yet their role remains fragmented across the literature. Existing studies tend to focus on selected aspects of collaboration, governance, or resilience, without offering an integrated perspective. This article addresses this gap through a systematic literature review conducted in accordance with PRISMA 2020 guidelines, based on publications indexed in Scopus and Web of Science. The analysis identifies dominant models of collaboration between CSOs and public actors and examines the functions performed by these organisations across the phases of the crisis management cycle. The findings indicate that the role of CSOs is dynamic and extends beyond operational support, encompassing both functional and systemic contributions across prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery. Building on these insights, the article proposes a novel integrative framework linking levels of engagement, modes of collaboration, and functional roles. The study contributes to crisis management research by offering a structured understanding of the role of CSOs in crisis governance and highlights the importance of their integration for enhancing system adaptability.