This book gives a comprehensive yet easily accessible introduction
to risk and uncertainty as they have been analysed in sociology and
related social sciences. The book draws extensively on the wide
array of contemporary social theories of risk and relates these to
the many and diverse areas in contemporary society where risk plays
an important role. It will be an invaluable for both students and
researchers interested in risk in relation to politics, the
environment, health, media, science and technology and finance.
Written in a clear and accessible language, the book gives a
balanced account of the many theoretical approaches taken to the
diverse phenomenon of risk, using concrete examples to illustrate
abstract points. The book highlights some key themes such as
uncertainty and individual responsibility which emerge as common to
different theories and fields of study. The book is perfectly
suited as an introduction for new students in sociology, political
science, anthropology, media studies and health studies.
Table of Content
Acknowledgements viii
1 Introduction 1
Risks are social 1
Risk in contemporary society 3
The (un)reality of risk 7
Two imagined scenarios involving risk 9
The sociological approach to risk 14
This book 16
2 The possibility of Hume: a brief genealogy of the concept
of risk 20
Risk and modernity 20
A slow ‘modern’ breakthrough 26
Probability 28
Risk, statistics, government – the discovery of society
31
Risk in advanced modernity 33
Conclusion 35
3 Theories about risk 38
Mary Douglas 38
Cultural values and modes of organization 40
Ulrich Beck 46
Reflexive modernization, individualization and cosmopolitanism
50
Governmentality 53
Risks in current societies 55
Other theories 61
Summary 64
4 Risk, technology and nature 67
Technology and being green 67
Technology and complexity 70
Nature, environment, ecology 72
Risks as hybrids 75
Global risks, vulnerability and inequality 80
Summary 82
5 Risk, knowledge and uncertainty 84
Does science know? 84
Science in the risk society 86
Uncertainty and science 91
Post-normal science and precaution 94
The public understanding of science 96
‘Doing things’ with science and risk 99
Summary 101
6 Risk and culture 105
The role of culture 105
Ways of acting, talking and understanding: defining culture
106
Science and culture 111
Culture, risk and political interest 114
The social amplification of risk 117
Summary 121
7 Risk and the mass media 122
The media and perceptions of risk 122
Bad news is good news 126
Competition and commercialization 131
The media, health and lifestyle 133
Conclusion 136
8 Risky futures: pleasure and capitalism 138
Climbing mountains 138
Edgework, individualization and entrepreneurialism 140
A present future 144
Calculating the risks, not knowing the odds 148
Risk and the burden of responsibility 152
Summary 155
9 Risk, politics and government 158
The power of defining risk 158
Transnational risk regulation 161
Cosmopolitanism 163
Terror, war and risk 165
Crime and risks 168
Health and risk subjects 172
Summary 176
10 Conclusion 181
Categories of risk? 181
Risks as potentials 183
Risk, responsibility and individualization 185
Where to, risk? 187
References 190
Index 204
About the author
Jakob Arnoldi is Vice Dean and Director of Research, Aarhus School of Business, Aarhus University.
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