What is risk society? Discuss reflexive modernization and what a risk society consists of. Also, discuss the concept of a risk contract.

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Risks can be found in everyday life such as leaving the house in the morning, driving to work, and even staying home. The choice of which risks to take is influenced by culture and the potential benefits of taking these risks. While still committed to the advancement of living standards and the refinement of human practices, societies are increasingly driven by what Ulrich Beck calls reflexive modernization, that is, modernization that is increasingly reflective about what it is doing. No longer confident that all technological changes will necessarily be for the best, we debate and investigate. Beck suggests that this form of modernization is part of what he calls the risk society. His perspective is that risks are everywhere and play an increasing role in shaping society. The ability to avoid risk exposure creates a new way in which people are divided into social groups, replacing old systems that differentiated them by their access to money and other economic resources. We have lost faith in what Beck calls the risk contract, or the implicit understanding that government will enact rules to make sure that people will be protected as society bounds progressively forward. Governments still have rules about acceptable levels of risk, but people in the risk society are less likely to place their faith in these figures.