Review article

RISK AND SOCIAL CONTEXT

Ognjen Čaldarović ; Faculty of Philosophy, Zagreb

Abstract

The study is trying to define the terms: risks and hazards. Special attention is given to technological risks and their sociological dimensions. The conclusion points to the fact that these, on first sight simple and self-explaining terms, are used in different meanings depending on the contexts and conditions. The facts that the risks could be independently chosen or forced on, short-term or long-term, acceptable or un-acceptable are emphasised. It is also shown that the risks could be defined as socially constructed facts or as objective phenomena, as well as that the methods of quantification could be used or simply the understanding of their qualitative and value dimensions. Final paragraphs point to the narrowing of the dimensions of risk and the need to get acquainted with the details as the modern life in its many dimensions amounts only to the life within the limits of the so-called civilisation.

Keywords

catastrophe; experts; hazard; laymen; public; risk; social construction of the risk

Hrčak ID:

139395

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/139395

Publication date:

15.1.1994.

Article data in other languages: croatian german

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