Define the concept of a risk society and discuss two ways by which people can take risk that have the potential to jeopardize their health.

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Correct answers vary but should include a discussion of Ulrich Beck and his concept of risk society. The idea of risk has become a central concern in many areas of sociology, and one of those is the way in which it relates to the body and to health. Interestingly, this meshes well with Foucault's ideas on limit experiences, since it is in such experiences that risks are the greatest. Indeed, it is the risks that draw at least some people to these experiences. People take a wide range of risks that have the potential to jeopardize their health. On the one hand, there are the things people do not do, such as see their physicians, have regular medical checkups, and take prescribed medicines. Another example is the failure, or refusal, to be vaccinated against various diseases. This was made clear in the recent outbreak of measles in the United States caused, at least in part, by the refusal of some parents to have their children vaccinated. On the other hand, people engage in many behaviors that they know pose health risks; cigarette smoking is at, or near, the top of the list. It may well be that taking some risks makes some people happier, and mentally, and perhaps even physically, healthier.