136-110 The Risk Society: Remaking Everyday Life

No prerequisites.

This subject examines ways in which discourses and practices of science, technology and medicine have become central to the management of risk and the organisation of everyday life. Generating dilemmas of trust, scepticism and cynicism, such discourses and practices have become politicised aspects of the contemporary 'risk society'. We all participate in this risk politics and we are all affected by its deliberations and decisions, particularly in the ways in which we imagine our social and individual identities. This subject will introduce students to debates about risk society illustrated by case studies. These may include the new genetics as risk and responsibility; food risks, mad cow disease and gene technology; subjectivity in cybersociety; environmental risk and the dilemmas of trust; medical knowledge and the dilemmas of choice. Students will develop an understanding of the risk society debate and substantive knowledge of several exemplary case studies.

Class participation, and written work totalling 4000 words.

A subject reader will be available.