Living in a Risk Society (SOCI30009)

For good practical and theoretical reasons, risk and uncertainty have emerged as central themes in social science. More flexible labour markets, greater freedom to divorce, cohabit and re-partner and growing diversity in lifestyles erode the certainty with which people can map out their futures. Step-changes in the complexity and scale of technological innovation including societal digitisation and artificial intelligence enable rapid rise in living standards, and, at the same time, bring the possibility of major catastrophes closer. Unexpected disasters such as the 9/11 terror attack, the Fukushima nuclear disaster as well as climate change related disasters and crisis evidence the limits of our capacity to control the future.

 

This subject will give an overview of interdisciplinary and sociological approaches to risk and provides a better understanding of the reasons why we are concerned about risk and how we can deal with risks and uncertainty as a society as well as individually. It will show the limits of positivist understandings of risk and will explore the involvement of values, power, knowledge, and emotions in the social management of risk and uncertainty.