Global risk consciousness

Question 1

overview

Answer 1

Globalisation creates new insecurities & produces a new mentality of ‘risk consciousness’ in which risk is seen as global rather than tied to particular places. E.g. the increased movement of people seeking work or asylum has given rise to anxieties among Western countries about the risks of crime & disorder & the need to protect their borders – it

could be argued that this fear is at least one of the main reasons why so
many people voted for Brexit without really being informed about what the vote would actually mean. The recent coronavirus outbreak is another good example of global risk consciousness.

Question 2

risks

Answer 2

Whether such fears are rational or not is a different matter. Much of our knowledge about risks comes from the media, which often give an exaggerated view of the dangers we face. In the case of immigration, the media create moral panics about the supposed ‘threat’, often fuelled by politicians. Negative coverage of immigrants – portrayed as terrorists or as scroungers ‘flooding’ the country – has led to hate crimes against minorities in several European countries including the UK.

One result is the intensification of social control at the national level. The UK has toughened its border control regulations, e.g. fining airlines if they bring in undocumented passengers. Other European states with land borders have introduced fences, CCTV & thermal imaging devices to prevent illegal crossings. Another result of globalised risk is the increased attempts at international cooperation & control in the various ‘wars on terror’, drugs & crime – particularly since the 9/11 terrorist attacks.