Quotes - Risk Society Flashcards
(15 cards)
Ulrich beck - 1992
P.100
Insurance
Modernity , which brings uncertainty into every niche of existence, finds its counter principle In a social compact against industrially produced hazards, stitched together, put on public and private insurance”
Society becoming an uninsured society - beck 1992
” the residual risk society has become an uninsured society, with protection paradoxically diminishing as the danger grows”
Beck 1992
3 pillars why the basis of calculating hazards are abolished
- Their global, often irreparable damage, no longer be limited.
- precautionary aftercare excluded.
- Accident loses delimitations of space and time
Social contract is violated, mega hazards involve incalculable risks- - beck 1992
“Since the middle of the 20th century the social institutions of industrial society have been presented with historically unprecedented possibility of the destruction through decision making of all life on this planet”.
Examples of unmanageable risks?
And quote from beck ?
Chernobyl and sellafeild lakes (21 leaks - (1950-2000) and BP deep water horizon oil spill.
“These are not freak accidents, but predictable statistical inevitabilities over time) 1992
Beck quote on brushing these mega- risks under the carpet and not punishing culprit?
“Specialised in the only remaining possibility, denying all the dangers”( 1992- p101)
Example of uncontrollable risk:
And not punishing culprit!
Lead crystal factory in the community of Altenstadt. The lead turned leaves brown, people getting skin rashes, nausea and headaches.
Charges were dropped for 10,000 DM
Risk society are trying to manage these threats, leading to institutional failure- quote by beck 1992- p101.
“Hazards of the nuclear age, therefore have a social as well as physical explosiveness” (1992)
Changing of social structures beck.
And mega Hazards are egalitarian in sense - quote
Argues that 2nd modernity old social structures of first modernity are becoming irrelevant.
(Old divisions between social classes based on property, labour and capital, being replaced by new divisions based on contours of risk).
Driving force goes from “I am hungry to I am afraid”.
Argued that the risk society is egalitarian.
“ nuclear contamination is egalitarian, in the sense that democratic nitrates in the ground water do not stop at the general directors tap” -beck 1986
There are some countries who Benifit from the creation of risk, whilst there are others find their economic existence at risk
E.g green house effects - raise temperatures and sea levels- poorest will be hit hardest because they can’t adapt to them.
End up fleeing and lead to wars
Sectors who have little to do with these threats are getting punished - food industry , tourism and fisheries. Splitting world into risk winners/ risk losers. This will take its toll on employment.
Affected politics
The world risk society politics can no longer be understood nationally , but only internationally.
Critical analysis of Beck’s theory.
alarmist scenario
“Beck embraces apocalyptic vision of the future, Douglas would cast doubt on the credibility of such alarmist scenario” (Hannigan -2006-) she prefers to entrust herself to a professional opinion, which I also feel maybe Beck hasn’t done hear.
Critical analysis
perception of risk.
depends on your perception of risk which Mary Douglas states it varies considerably across three different forms. The individualist, the hierarchical and the egalitarian. “making the important point that competing definitions of ehat is risky are ultimately moral judgements” ( kroll-smith et al -1997)
what is the risk society
“a systematic way of dealing with hazards and insecurities induced and introduced by modernisation itself (Beck 1992
Example of Chernobyl
It released 10 times more radio activity than Fukushima. It destroyed 76 towns and city’ and today more than 7 million people are suffering due to the Chernobyl disaster.
