Syllabus
Course Schedule: 11. 10.
Introduction: of the course, requirements, reading, Moodle, and others; of the people; of risk.
Why is risk important? Politics of risk 18. 10.
Introduction to social construction (of risk)
// risk as social institution 25. 10.
Objective vs. subjective risk: How we measure and perceive risks
// risk assessment and risk measurement; psychometric paradigm 1. 11.
Are media responsible? Media and the culture of fear
Student presentations: media presenting risks (2) 8. 11.
Threatened environment: man-made risks in natural world
// theory of risk society (Beck, Giddens, and reflexive modernity), modernity as creator of risks
Student presentations: environmental risks (1) 15. 11.
Threatening environment: disasters and catastrophes
// sociology of disaster
Student presentations (2) 22. 11.
Threatened body: risk as a tool of power and control
// governmentality
Student presentations: health, safety, and body controlled (1) 29. 11. no lecture 6. 12.
Threatening body: disease as social threat
// cultural theory (Douglas, Wildawsky)
Student presentations: health and disease (1) 13. 12.
Threatening self: working on edge
// edgework
Student presentations: voluntary risk taking (1) 20. 12.
Nightmare Before Christmas
// risks everywhere?
Student presentations: misc (3) 3. 1.
Risk and politics: risk management
Student presentations: governmental risk management strategies – examples and cases (2) 10. 1.
Course wrap up
Student presentations: misc (2)
Annotation
Risk is a relatively modern concept taking over in public and political debates about singular events like disasters and catastrophes, as well as matters of everyday lives. It quickly became an important concept in sociology and other social sciences. The course Risk and Society aims at understanding the concept of risk within leading theories of risk and society and applying available analytical and theoretical tools on risks in a diversity of domains: health, environment and others. Special attention will be paid to the process of social construction of risk.
Using available theoretical and analytical tools, students will contribute by analysing and presenting a topic of their own choosing, focusing on a specific risk domain or problem.
The main goal of the course is to understand the diversity and social construction of definitions of risks and “acceptable” levels of risk, as well as to gain critical insight in the role of risk in modern societies.