KRM SEMESTER TEST 2
SECTION B (CONTEMPORARY CRIME)
RISK SOCIETY
RISK SOCIETY
A developmental phase of modern society in which social, political, economic, and
individual risks increasingly tend to escape institutions for monitoring and protection in
society (Ulrich Beck).
RISK
Recognition and judgement we experience when faced with uncertainty.
Risk is not new phenomena (it has just moved from natural to man-made risk).
Recognition and judgement relationship = we reflect iot judge iot make decisions
about what to do next.
2 levels of reflects and judge:
– (1) society (uncertainty/anxiety affects structure of events).
– (2) individual (faced with choices and courses of action which lack
support/rules + deviance: going against societies norms and values).
RISK AND REFLEXIVITY
Anxiety about new risk failure of institutions critical questioning of current
policies and practices.
Reflection:
– Is risk concrete or perception? – crisis in another part of world IS
concrete but if not directly affecting us then it is perception.
People perceive risk differently (some people more scared of crime than others).
MAIN ARGUMENTS OF ULRICH BECK
Increased wealth production need for money certain risks (reciprocal
relationship).
Creation of new risks is unintended by-product of modernization.
New problems require new solutions (use reflexive modernization).
Industrial solutions (increased production, redistribution and increased social
protection) IS NOT sufficient to fix global crisis.
, Addressing paradigm of modernization = rethinking, reprogramming and policy
change:
– Paradigm because – we modernize to address problems but modernization
creates new risks (solutions to risks create new risks).
REFLEXIVE MODERNITY
Reflecting & making judgement calls where reflection not previously necessary.
Reduces modern structures to create new modernity.
Modernization radicalizes itself.
Classic v reflexive modernity:
– Classic (used to have)
> skepticism about religion, world demystified through science.
– Reflexive (currently have)
> Skepticism about science as it causes hazards.
> Demystification of science and modernity (they caused disasters).
> Restructuring and re-conceptualizing what we know leads to space
of radicalization.
AXES OF CONFLICT
These are all intertwined:
Ecological conflicts. Global warming + pollution (ecological)
conflicts with financial crises as more money
EFT Global financial crises. needed will increase pollution
Terrorism crisis needs money to combat but
Global terrorist networks. we have a financial crisis
COMPARISON OF INDUSTRIAL V RISK SOCIETY
INDUSTRIAL SOCIETY RISK SOCIETY
(Marx, Weber, Durkheim) (Beck)
Central How do we create and distribute How do we prevent and minimize risk
question wealth? resulting from modernization?
Subjects are… Impoverished. Prosperous but frightened.
Ideal Equality. Safety.
Being and Being determines consciousness – Consciousness determines being –
consciousness what you do determined what you what you know determines what you
know. do (knowledge necessary for
recognition of risks).
Consequences Simple and visible. Complex and sometimes invisible.
CONSEQUENCES OF RISK SOCIETY
, Old values and traditional support networks disappearing (look after ourselves
rather than community, family life and traditional belief system under threat, lack
of dominant ideology).
International inequality (poor countries at greater risks due to extreme poverty).
Social and technological risks interconnected.
HASSAN ARTICLE (techno-environmental risks and ecological modernization in double risk societies)
Conflicting perspectives: environmental economics vs ecological
modernization vs risk society thesis:
– Exist on spectrum: limits to grow growth unlimited.
Apocalyptic future and we need urgent World is facing fewer ecological problems than ever before and
2 sociological theories: ecological restructuring of capitalism only way to deal with these problems is to encourage more growth
– (1) Risk society thesis (opposes institutions and policymakers
dependance on scientists in determining environmental risk).
– (2) ecological modernization (science, technology and mainstream
political actors are important in solving environmental problems) –
ecological growth can continue whilst ensuring environmental protection.
‘double risk’ societies = traditional, southern, poor countries faced with danger of
risk society before achieving post-industrial status (not ALL 3 rd world countries).
– (1) continuous struggle for fulfilling material needs (traditional risks).
– (2) increasing social anxiety about high consequence
techno-environmental risks (modern risks).
Harm to human health and natural environment presented by technological and industrial products
Western risk societies are becoming self-correcting which exposes double risk societies to more problems bcs of globalization (global
capitalism exploits poor countries by relocating rich countries pollution and resource depleting industries to poor countries).
Ecological modernization theory:
– Need for society, market actors and state to manage environment.
– Economic growth can be separated from raw material, energy use and
waste generation through application of environmentally friendly
technology and redesign of institutions.
– Key stages of development and maturation:
> 1st phase – emphasizes role of science and technology in
environmental reform (no social transformation).
SECTION B (CONTEMPORARY CRIME)
RISK SOCIETY
RISK SOCIETY
A developmental phase of modern society in which social, political, economic, and
individual risks increasingly tend to escape institutions for monitoring and protection in
society (Ulrich Beck).
RISK
Recognition and judgement we experience when faced with uncertainty.
Risk is not new phenomena (it has just moved from natural to man-made risk).
Recognition and judgement relationship = we reflect iot judge iot make decisions
about what to do next.
2 levels of reflects and judge:
– (1) society (uncertainty/anxiety affects structure of events).
– (2) individual (faced with choices and courses of action which lack
support/rules + deviance: going against societies norms and values).
RISK AND REFLEXIVITY
Anxiety about new risk failure of institutions critical questioning of current
policies and practices.
Reflection:
– Is risk concrete or perception? – crisis in another part of world IS
concrete but if not directly affecting us then it is perception.
People perceive risk differently (some people more scared of crime than others).
MAIN ARGUMENTS OF ULRICH BECK
Increased wealth production need for money certain risks (reciprocal
relationship).
Creation of new risks is unintended by-product of modernization.
New problems require new solutions (use reflexive modernization).
Industrial solutions (increased production, redistribution and increased social
protection) IS NOT sufficient to fix global crisis.
, Addressing paradigm of modernization = rethinking, reprogramming and policy
change:
– Paradigm because – we modernize to address problems but modernization
creates new risks (solutions to risks create new risks).
REFLEXIVE MODERNITY
Reflecting & making judgement calls where reflection not previously necessary.
Reduces modern structures to create new modernity.
Modernization radicalizes itself.
Classic v reflexive modernity:
– Classic (used to have)
> skepticism about religion, world demystified through science.
– Reflexive (currently have)
> Skepticism about science as it causes hazards.
> Demystification of science and modernity (they caused disasters).
> Restructuring and re-conceptualizing what we know leads to space
of radicalization.
AXES OF CONFLICT
These are all intertwined:
Ecological conflicts. Global warming + pollution (ecological)
conflicts with financial crises as more money
EFT Global financial crises. needed will increase pollution
Terrorism crisis needs money to combat but
Global terrorist networks. we have a financial crisis
COMPARISON OF INDUSTRIAL V RISK SOCIETY
INDUSTRIAL SOCIETY RISK SOCIETY
(Marx, Weber, Durkheim) (Beck)
Central How do we create and distribute How do we prevent and minimize risk
question wealth? resulting from modernization?
Subjects are… Impoverished. Prosperous but frightened.
Ideal Equality. Safety.
Being and Being determines consciousness – Consciousness determines being –
consciousness what you do determined what you what you know determines what you
know. do (knowledge necessary for
recognition of risks).
Consequences Simple and visible. Complex and sometimes invisible.
CONSEQUENCES OF RISK SOCIETY
, Old values and traditional support networks disappearing (look after ourselves
rather than community, family life and traditional belief system under threat, lack
of dominant ideology).
International inequality (poor countries at greater risks due to extreme poverty).
Social and technological risks interconnected.
HASSAN ARTICLE (techno-environmental risks and ecological modernization in double risk societies)
Conflicting perspectives: environmental economics vs ecological
modernization vs risk society thesis:
– Exist on spectrum: limits to grow growth unlimited.
Apocalyptic future and we need urgent World is facing fewer ecological problems than ever before and
2 sociological theories: ecological restructuring of capitalism only way to deal with these problems is to encourage more growth
– (1) Risk society thesis (opposes institutions and policymakers
dependance on scientists in determining environmental risk).
– (2) ecological modernization (science, technology and mainstream
political actors are important in solving environmental problems) –
ecological growth can continue whilst ensuring environmental protection.
‘double risk’ societies = traditional, southern, poor countries faced with danger of
risk society before achieving post-industrial status (not ALL 3 rd world countries).
– (1) continuous struggle for fulfilling material needs (traditional risks).
– (2) increasing social anxiety about high consequence
techno-environmental risks (modern risks).
Harm to human health and natural environment presented by technological and industrial products
Western risk societies are becoming self-correcting which exposes double risk societies to more problems bcs of globalization (global
capitalism exploits poor countries by relocating rich countries pollution and resource depleting industries to poor countries).
Ecological modernization theory:
– Need for society, market actors and state to manage environment.
– Economic growth can be separated from raw material, energy use and
waste generation through application of environmentally friendly
technology and redesign of institutions.
– Key stages of development and maturation:
> 1st phase – emphasizes role of science and technology in
environmental reform (no social transformation).
