The Risk Society Revisited ― Social Theory and Risk Governance

Risk is a part of life. How we handle uncertainty and deal with potential threats influence decision making throughout our lives. InThe Risk Society Revisited, Eugene A. Rosa, Ortwin Renn, and Aaron M. McCright offer the first book to present an integrated theory of risk and governance.

The authors examine our sociological understanding of risk and how we reconcile modern human conditions with our handling of risk in our quest for improved quality of life. They build a new framework for understanding risk—one that provides an innovative connection between social theory and the governance of technological and environmental risks and the sociopolitical challenges they pose for a sustainable future.

Showing how our consciousness affects risk in the decisions we make—as individuals and as members of a democratic society—The Risk Society Revisited makes an important contribution to the literature of risk research.

Eugene A. Rosa (1941-2013) was the Edward R. Meyer Distinguished Professor of Natural Resource and Environmental Policy, Professor of Sociology, Affiliated Professor of Fine Arts, and Faculty Associate in the Center for Environmental Research, Education, and Outreach at Washington State University.

Ortwin Renn is Professor and Chair of Environmental Sociology and Technology Assessment at Stuttgart University (Germany). He directs the Stuttgart Research Center for Interdisciplinary Risk and Innovation Studies at Stuttgart University (ZIRIUS) and the non-profit organization DIALOGIK, dedicated to facilitate the dialogue between science, technology, and society.

Aaron M. McCright is Associate Professor of Sociology in Lyman Briggs College, the Department of Sociology, and the Environmental Science and Policy Program at Michigan State University.