Introduction

Question 0

Why are sociologist interested in the objectification of risks? Acc to Arnoldi

Answer 0

It is interesting how risks are made calculable, and what the purpose of this is

Arnoldi 2009

Question 1

Which three sociological approaches to risk according to Arnoldi?

Answer 1

1. Beck/Giddens: risks are complex and uncertain
2. Douglas: cultural Logic determines what we fear
3. Foucault: governmentality and risk as Technology of government
   (+ voluntary risk taking)

Question 2

Paradox of risk society acc to Arnoldi?

Answer 2

Our society is not neccessarily more dangerous than earlier e.g. Increased life expectancy
It’s about potential instead of actual threats

2009

Question 3

How are risk concerns distributed acc to Arnoldi?

Answer 3

Often according to existing political lines, e.g. Right wing does not see nuclear energy as a risk in the same way as left wing

Question 4

What does Arnoldi mean with social risks?

Answer 4

Because a risk is about whether we know that there is a risk - if we don’t, we are not responsible. E.g. Lightning strikes

Risk becomes a way of exerting power, since we do not want to act irresponsible e.g. Eating healthy

Question 5

What is the psychometric (psychological) approach to risk?

Answer 5

Focuses on factors that triggers fear and uncertainty –> magnify ‘objective’ risks

Question 6

How can the psychometric approach be criticized?

Answer 6

It implies that there is an objective risk, and that the subjective understanding of it is irrational + risk perception is shaped by intersubjective as well as subjective values

Question 7

What epistemology does sociologists studying risk often have according to Arnoldi?

Answer 7

Social constructivism. Human knowledge is influenced by what is known, culture, meaning etc and sc often focuses on power and discoursive processes

Question 8

Why is risk linked to modernity and post-modernity acc to Arnoldi?

Answer 8

Before modernity people talked about acts of God instead of risks. With modernity people came to see themselves as master of their lives, and therefor wanted to calculate the outcome of their actions

The idea of risk helped to construct the concept of society as an entity which could be governed by humans

Question 9

When did probability theory start to emerge?

Answer 9

In the 1650s

Question 10

Which new meaning has risk gotten over the last 30-40 years?

Answer 10

It has gone from being about calculability to also be things that cannot be calculated and are uncertain

Question 11

What does Arnoldi mean when he talks about a shift from danger to safety?

Answer 11

Earlier you had the responsibility to prove that something was dangerous, whereas now you have to prove that it is safe

Question 12

Is there a threshold for when technology is safe enough?

Answer 12

No, it is ultimately a political process, and might be based more on values and ethics than on facts

Question 13

What is risk acc to Douglas?

Answer 13

The threat of breaking down the classificatory system, which leads to moral transgression. Risks gives a community a shared enemy, and can therefore be used to mobilize

Question 14

What is risk in modern society a.t. Douglas?

Answer 14

Concerned with the violation of right if individuality, why the U.S. Is more concerned with risk than eu countries

Question 15

Are risks constructed in Douglas’ view?

Answer 15

She is a social constructivist, but she believes that real risks does exist, but our perception of them is culturally biased

Real risks but not objective risks!

Question 16

How does Douglas feel about psychological approaches?

Answer 16

Critical, because they are looking at individuals, hence not taking culture into account

Question 17

Which four cultural types does Douglas talk about?

Answer 17

Stems from her grid-group analysis: grid= degree of autonomy and group= degree of incorporation

See p 42 in Arnoldi

Question 18

How does Beck distinguish between dangers and risks?

Answer 18

Dangers are caused by nature, risks are man made

Question 19

How does Beck describe the new risks?

Answer 19

They are incalculable!
They are intangible, latent (will only show over time), often global, catastrophic and difficult to attribute responsibility

Arnoldi: Beck’s new risks are therefore uncertainties

Question 20

How does the risk society differ from the industrial one a.t. Beck?

Answer 20

In industrial wealth was distributed, in risk society risks are distributed

Question 21

What is the relationship between science and uncertainty?

Answer 21

Risks are made known to the public through research, but science also created the technologies that now produce side effects

Question 22

Are risks real a.t. Beck?

Answer 22

Yes, cause technologies are creating side effects, however socially constructed, as they invoke values and politics

Question 23

Do beck and Douglas agree on risks?

Answer 23

To some extent, but beck does not agree that risks can be reduced to culture as Douglas do it

Question 24

Which types of risks does beck talk about?

Answer 24

Ecological, financial, terror and to some extent social/biographical risks

Terror risks differs from the others, as it is intended

Question 25

What is the conduct of conduct?

Answer 25

Governmentality.

E.g. Through collecting data the population can be made a governable object

Question 26

What does a governmentality approach to risk entail?

Answer 26

It means studying the concepts of risk and their usage rather than real risks or the perception of these

Question 27

How is the distinction between uncertainty and risk within governmentality?

Answer 27

They are analytical concepts, and it is studied how they are constructed

Question 28

How can insurance be used to govern?

Answer 28

E.g. By collecting data, thereby being able to say what is normal behavior + the companies seek to influence the insured + makes risk profiles for customers resulting in different premiums which gives incentive to avoid risky behavior

Question 29

What is manufactured uncertainties?

Answer 29

Stems from Giddens.
= new high-consequence risk produced by high modernity
They are global (like Becks)

Question 30

What is necessary to understand the economic system a.t. Knight?

Answer 30

To examine the meaning and significance of uncertainty - we live in a world of uncertainty

1921

Question 31

How can we a.t. Knight arrive at a probability judgment?

Answer 31

1. A priori which assumes logical and mathematical probability (e.g. Throwing a dice)
2. The empirical method where Calculation is impossible, and the result is reached by applying statistics to actual instances (e.g. Whether a building will collapse)

Question 32

What is the Starr text about?

Answer 32

How to determine the benefits of technology versus the risks, I.e. How much society will pay for safety

Question 33

What kind of societal activities do Starr distinguish between?

Answer 33

Voluntary: individual decides themselves, and the feedback happens quickly on how much risk the person will take

Involuntary: society forces something on the individual, feedback happens slow. Gives example of war, where there is a great distance between the decision makers and the ones affected

Question 34

Give an example of a trade-off between technology and side-effects

Starr 1969

Answer 34

E.g. If technology gives an increase in gnp, but increases the likelihood of death, then how do you calculate the effect on quality of life?