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Ulrich Beck

Ulrich Beck. Risk Society. Becks Views on Status and Class. Societies are undergoing transformations, but not into postmodern societies. He states that they are in fact changing to Risk Societies. Stages leading to Risk Society.

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Ulrich Beck

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  1. Ulrich Beck Risk Society

  2. Becks Views on Status and Class • Societies are undergoing transformations, but not into postmodern societies. • He states that they are in fact changing to Risk Societies.

  3. Stages leading to Risk Society • Premodernity-Dark aged society. Religion was prominent. Education was limited to the masses and science was almost non existent. • Simple modernity-Religion and tradition are replaced by technological rationalization and a belief that science can solve problems emerges. • Reflective/late modernity-Technology increases reducing material need but increasing risks with new technology emerge. • Late modernity – In late modernity people are concerned to reflect upon modernity itself and the problems it creates .

  4. Examples of risks within The Risk Society • Developments in agriculture have lead to a plentiful amount of food. However, an increase in processed food has led to unhealthy diets, obesity and consequent health problems. • Atomic energy has helped to produce abundant energy supplies, but nuclear waste and the possibility or nuclear accidents create serious health risks.

  5. How these risks relate to class • Many of the aforementioned risks are not confined to particular social groups for example radioactivity is as likely to affect upper class as working class. However wealth may help minimise these risks, for example upper class have the wealth to choose not to live in an area with nuclear plants, and also have the money to choose healthy organic foods, rather than processed foods, possibly reducing the risk of certain health problems.

  6. Individualisation and the decline of class. • Although Beck acknowledges the existence of class he argues that, due to the ‘reflective’ stage, risks affect all classes compared to pre modernity where the upper classes wealth made them more secure. • Class decline is further demonstrated within areas such as employment, with fewer people staying in jobs for life and mobility increasing. • Political conflicts are also more focused upon things that affect all classes, with problems with race, gender sexuality, which transcend class barriers, seen as more prominent.

  7. Evaluation/Criticism • Beck states class no longer has a significant effect on identity or lifestyle • Recognises equalities can still exists but does not acknowledge the extent to which they affect life chances. • Exaggerates the shift of how the upper class are now more effected by universal problems whereas in reality they were always affected by such problems, e.g. Famine.

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