Living in the age of anxiety. Sociology of risk in catastrophic times 3402-00LITAOA-OG

Risk and uncertainty have emerged as central themes in contemporary social science. Questions about the nature of risk, the social construction of risk issues, and the cultural differences in conceptualizing and understanding risk have influenced philosophical thinking and social science research. Risk has also become a key organising concept for regulatory regimes and governance systems and one of the central constructs of expert discourses. The evolution of governance structures relating to managing uncertainties in a world full of contingencies makes us selective in what we chose to be worth considering and what to ignore. Global warming, air and water pollution, processed food, alcohol drinking and other ‘lifestyle’ habits, epidemic diseases, technological innovations, bio-engineering, unexpected disasters, armed conflicts constantly make headlines in the news media. We hear about global risks, systemic risks, environmental risks and the individual ones. Indeed, not only are we living in a ‘Risk Society’, but we are now concerned with the ‘risk management of everything’.

But what risk actually is? Are risks social constructs or real phenomena? In a realist perspective, risks are primarily understood as real events or dangers which can be approached objectively. When it comes to sociological approaches, the perspective changes from objective risks to socioculturally mediated or constructed risks, as we can observe how risks are created and selected by human actors. Cultural shifts, influencing the way people think about risks at the personal level, are brought back to the political level, in the question of how regulatory frameworks should operate in this context.

A major premise of this course is that the identification of ‘risks’ takes place in the specific sociocultural and historical contexts in which we are located. During the course, we will discuss the major ways in which risk has been theorized in the social sciences: psychometric approach, cultural theory, SAR Framework, theory of risk society, governmentality perspective, social systems theory, and socio-material approaches. Next, we are going to examine fundamental concepts and principles for understanding and acting under conditions of risk and uncertainty. Our topics of interests include risk assessment, risk perception, risk governance, and risk communication. Next, we will investigate three specific risk issues: a.) risk and Anthropocene, b.) risk and the vested interests of corporate bodies, c.) power, social inequality and risk. All in all, we will attempt to answer the question how, concepts, approaches and methods, can support the assessments, communication and handling of the risks, and how risks are perceived.

This course will be particularly useful for those who feel the lack or inadequacy of social theory in risk research and those, who seek a new perspective on contemporary social, technological and environmental problems. The knowledge gained during the course can be used to explore a range of issues, such as social attitudes towards risk, risk management and risk policies, consumption, health behaviors, innovations and technological developments, media discourse, ecology and sustainable development.