Risk company is a key word and a Haupttitel one of its books of 1986 Ulrich Beck, coined/shaped by the German sociologist Ulrich Beck: Risk company. On the way into another modern trend. Suhrkamp, Frankfurt A.M. 1986. ISBN 3-518-13326-8. , which was very successful also on the general book market.

Basic thesis: "“In the advanced modern trend the social production of wealth accompanies systematically with the social production of risks. [Emphases in the original] [...] the distribution problems and - conflicts of the lack company [become] overlay by the problems and conflicts, which develop from [...] the distribution of scientific-technologically produced risks"”; it comes to a "“change of the logic of the wealth distribution [...] to the logic of the distribution of risks"” (S.25).

In the measure, how the modern society brings up for discussion produced risks, becomes it reflexiv: "“It concerns no longer [only] the utilization of nature, extracting humans from traditionalen obligations, but [...] substantially around subsequent problems of the technical development. The modernization process becomes "“reflexiv"”, the topic and problem."” (S.26)

Under the term "“risks"” Beck summarizes on the one hand "“scientific pollutant distributions"”, on the other hand "“social endangerment situations"” (unemployment) (S.31). It participates characteristic that the appropriate risks are no more distributed after class borders usually, but tendentious to concern can do everyone: Thus, as radioactivity does not differentiate between poor and richly, also the risk of unemployment rises in the central and Oberschicht: "“Emergency is hierarchical, smog is democratic"” (S.48). (This is denied in the disaster sociology.)

Beck points out that risks are always also result of a social construction process. As to be threateningly noticed not the abstract risks themselves, but their concrete bringing up for discussion in the mass media. This leads to the fact that "“reality is structured cognitive and noticed [...] after a schematism by security and danger"” (S.418) Christoph Lau: Risk discourses. Social arguments and the definition of risks. In: Social world. Bd. 40, o.O. 1986, P. 417-436.

Paradoxically the inflation of "“felt risks"” leads however also to more indifference: "“Where everything is changed into endangerments, somehow also nothing more dangerously"” (S.48).

To the fact that its book a sales impact obtained unusual for sociological literature and the title became rapid the "“winged word"” contributed, except the legibility facilitating the entrance for laymen certainly also Europe in the year of the appearance 1986 threatening nuclear disaster of Tschernobyl. Beck for this in a preface to the second edition May 1986:

"“The speech of [...] risk company [...] received a bitter taste. Much, that in the letter was still argumentatively fought for - the Nichtwahrnehmbarkeit of the dangers, its knowledge dependence, their over nationality [...] - reads itself after the Tschernobyl like a plate description of the present. Oh, it would have remained swearing to a future to prevent it applies!"”

The sociologist Armin Nassehi certifies Beck also to have "“the nerve of the time clearly met"”. Beck succeeded it "“with a tremendous [...] diagnostic sensitivity"” to designate "“the disconcertion of the project of the modern trend"” (S.253f.) to Armin Nassehi: Risk company. In: George Kneer, Armin Nassehi, Markus Schroer (Hrsg.), sociological society terms. Concepts of modern time diagnoses. W. finch, Munich 1997. ISBN 3-8252-1961-5. Nassehi attributes this first general disconcertion of the modern trend (by it a reflexiven modern trend becomes) in the long run to a "“common reference problem"”: "“The uncertainty over it, whatever consequences present acting for direct or extensive has"”. (S.252). Consequence is the "“paradoxes situation that must be acted, although there are not for it in the long run the appropriate bases"” (S.254).

See also

Society, danger, disaster sociology, risk, venture costs, second modern trend

Sources

Further literature

1. Ulrich Beck (1988): Gegengifte. The organized irresponsibility. Frankfurt A.M.: Suhrkamp. ISBN 3-518-11468-9

Articles in category "Risk company"

We found here 9 articles.

Related Websites

We found here 6 related websites.

• Lombard Risk Management plc
  Lombard Risk is a fast growing company focused on providing trading systems, risk management software, regulatory software, and independent valuation ...


• RISK Company | News and events
  RISK Company won contract from Ministry of Finance for network building of ... RISK Company Creates Technological Infrastructure of the Ministry of Taxes of ...


• RISK Company | News and events
  RISK Company is a Member of the American Chamber of Commerce in Azerbaijan ... RISK Company is also involved in holding advanced scientific and commercial ...


• RISK Company | Your reliable ICT partner
  System integration, computer and networking solution company.


• RiskCenter: A Financial Risk Management Media Company
  Financial Risk Management News is for financial professionals whose responsibility is to measure or manage business risks. Use risk-adjusted information in ...


• The Virginia Risk Company - international, travel, visitor, and ...
  Providing the public, global corporations, international citizens, foreign governments, tourists, travelers, immigrants, visitors, US bureaus, ...