Risk Society

1. Risk Society An Overview

2. Introduction Both Risk Society and Governmentality are macro-oriented theories Cognitive science focuses on the micro level Both focus on new risks in a new era in history – that is, beginning in the 1950s and 1960s One big difference: Realist/objective vs. relativist/subjective views on risk Cognitive science sort of focuses on both with experts as realists and laypeople as relativists Risk Society – risks are real and constructed; there are real risks, but risks are filtered through culture Governmentality– risks are constructed; the focus is on how elites use risk to govern

3. Stages in Western History • Classical antiquity – roughly 800 BC to 476 AD • Middle Ages – 476 to roughly 1500; named during the early modern period, people wanted a to make a break from this challenging period in history • Early – (476 to 1000) • High – (1000 to 1300) • Late – (1300 to 1500) – the focus of our reading by Muchembled • A period of great upheaval and disaster • The Muchembled reading focuses on insecurity (physical and psychological) as well as what people did to deal with a dangerous world (e.g., belief in magic, religion, community) • You should be able to describe the risks and how they differ from risks in post-modernity • You should also be able to describe what people did to deal with a dangerous world • Modernity • Early modern – (1500 to 1800) • Late modern – (1789-99) • Post-modern – beginning in 1950s and 1960s

4. Stages in Western History • Our focus was on how people’s perceptions of risk have changed over these periods (we covered this on the first exam; it is covered in Chapter 2 of our book) • These stages are important again as we discuss Risk Society Theory and Governmentality – both focus on changes that have occurred, especially in the post-modern era

5. Risk Society Theory • Chapter 3 lays out the basic arguments (in the two short sections that are required reading) • Dangers – ‘caused by nature’ (47) • Risks – ‘manufactured or fabricated uncertainties’ (47) • We have entered a new era where we face unprecedented risks • Ecological • Financial • Terror • Biographical • These new risks are the unintended consequences of technology and modernization

6. Risk Society Theory • Similarities in the new risks and how they differ from risks in the past (I’m summarizing from chapter 3) • They are side effects of technology and scientific modernization; unintended, self-inflicted consequences of progress • They are not immediately evident to the senses; we often need scientific tests to identify them • The potential magnitude of the disasters is incalculable; they could wipe out the human race • They have long-term effects • This makes it difficult to calculate probabilities of risk and they are not manageable by usual strategies • Scientists/experts disagree and contradict each other – there is a crisis in science • It is difficult to identify who is responsible • The disasters are global in scale • They are harder for people to avoid • They are not contained in national borders (non-local) • A change is required if the human race is to survive

7. Risk Society Theory Reflexive modernization • Two stages • Reflex stage – risks are created by modernization, but they are not recognized • Reflection stage (second modernity) – we begin to view our society as a risk society; growing realization of the dangers; critical reflection • People must deal with constant insecurity and uncertainty • Conventional social order is breaking down • Conflict between lay people and experts • Risk becomes political

8. Risk Society Theory Individualization – breaking down of traditional norms and values; there are new personal risks (work and family) that raise awareness of global risks • In the pre-modern world – ‘structuring institutions’ (e.g., gender, class) largely determined one’s fate at birth • Structuring institutions have less of an impact on one’s ‘biography’ now • People now must create their own destinies, but • Work – stable employment is not a given, people must make up their own opportunities, they have to be flexible and entrepreneurial • Relationships – people have greater freedom to pursue autonomy and self-improvement in relationships, which leads to greater conflict • New risks from this: • Unemployment, underemployment, marriage instability, family breakdown, anxiety, insecurity • Life is less certain even though we control more • The consequences: • With increased exposure to uncertainty in work and family, we become preoccupied with large scale risks to society as a whole (see a link to cognitive science?) • Risk consciousness can lead to the change that is needed • Ecological enlightenment • Cosmopolitanisationof political outlooks (we need global institutions and global solutions) • New forms of global civil society and polity • Examples: Anti-globalization movements, International Criminal Court, United Nations

9. Interesting Themes from Chapter 4 • Nature – ‘nature’ is an ambiguous term • In here • Out there • Deep ecology/fragility; robust and exploitability • The connection between culture and nature (also covered in the ‘risks as hybrids’ section) • Complexity • Complex technical systems are ‘tightly coupled’ • Accidents are normal • Vulnerability • Although new risks (e.g., radiation from a nuclear accident) are democratic (i.e., they are difficult to contain in space), people and societies have different resources to deal with risk