The notion of risk has become a central concern of today's societies, as Ulrich Beck predicted in the 1990s. Global crises, such as the Covid-19 pandemic and the crisis climate, have further reinforced a perception that risks are essential components of our daily lives and major concerns for governments. First developed in the realm of insurance, the language and techniques of risk analysis have become key to modern governance and to the operation of contemporary states. Using case studies from different domains (environment, health, technological/industrial accidents, security, new technologies etc.) and different countries, this course explores how social sciences have conceptualized risk over time and how risk has become a central object of political attention.
Anne-Laure BEAUSSIER
Séminaire
English
There is no specific pre-requisite for this course. An introduction to the sociology of risks, it aims to familiarize students with classic and more recent works on risk, as well as notions such as danger, uncertainty, crisis, vulnerability, resilience. It offers an overview of recent approaches and debates associated with the notion of risk.
Autumn 2023-2024
- Weekly oral presentations (20%)
- Mid-term test (Multiple choice questionaire) (20%)
- Final essay (+/- 5000 words) (60%)
Students are asked to read one text before each session. These texts are referenced in the class syllabus and available on the class moodle platform. Recommended readings are also suggested to students for each session.
For those who would like to prepare the class ahead of the beginning of the semester, we recommend to have a look at the following books:
Beck U. (1992), Risk society: towards a new modernity, Sage.