Health, Risk, and Environmental Justice Lecture Part 2 SOC165 Spring 2010 [USEMAP] The Invironment and Risk ● Part 2 2 In Part 2 •Risk Society and the Environment corrosive2 inhalation_hazard flammable_liquid poison explosive2 dangerous_when_wet non_flammable_gas organic_peroxide spontaneously_combustible harmful_stow_away_from_food flammable_solid [USEMAP] The Invironment and Risk ● Part 2 3 Risk and the Environment •There have always been dangers & uncertainty in the world •Ulrich Beck theorizes new reality of life today – Risk – connecting society, technology, and the environment •Today’s dangers are not limited by time and space •Nuclear, genetic, chemical technologies threaten future generations, and can spread across borders [USEMAP] The Invironment and Risk ● Part 2 4 Example: Chernobyl, 1986 chernobyl-disaster chernobyl_girl Chernobyl4a [USEMAP] The Invironment and Risk ● Part 2 5 The Material and Ideal •We experience risk as: •Perceptions of problems •Actual disruptions of human goals & intentions windshear-crash-lge-hvs Hill%20City%20Tornado%20Enhanced financialMarketTurmoil-757456 [USEMAP] The Invironment and Risk ● Part 2 6 Ulrich Beck’s Risk Theory •Historical view of development of society •Shift from early modernity to late modernity •Early modernity: referred to pre-modern times as reference point •Late modernity: refers to earlier modernity; is “reflexive” 769_beck Ulrich Beck [USEMAP] The Invironment and Risk ● Part 2 7 Ulrich Beck’s Risk Theory •Problem: new risks today threaten everyone • •Possible solutions: –Democracy –Inclusive decision-making –End to expert monopoly on discourse & political power –Precautionary principle should guide public policy roundtablers [USEMAP] The Invironment and Risk ● Part 2 8 Environmental Risks in ČR? •Temelín •Food: pesticides, GMOs, additives, mad cow disease •Fish: heavy metals? •Indoor air quality: toxic materials; cleaning products •Mobile phones: radiation? tes-dukovany cow_1024 Tuna at the fish market in Suva, Fiji. Regional tuna fisheries produce 10 times as much fish as all other fisheries in the region. Family%20breakfast SMS [USEMAP] The Invironment and Risk ● Part 2 9 Assessing and Managing Risk •Rational choice theory / rational risk assessment •Cost-benefit analysis = useful, but limited •Not adequate to make public policy & production/consumption choices MMj02836790000[1] arm-loan-calculator_large MMj02839770000[1] [USEMAP] The Invironment and Risk ● Part 2 10 Assessing and Managing Risk •Risk assessment always based on norms & values (“irrational” sentiment, cultural setting) •Choice is always constrained by what we know/understand/believe and choices available within the culture •Understanding of risk, and ability to take action is based on Knowledge, Power and Trust [USEMAP] The Invironment and Risk ● Part 2 11 Knowledge •Who has the information? •How is the information communicated & shared? •Is the information accurate? CT_Info_officeMS MMj02237550000[1] newspaper [USEMAP] The Invironment and Risk ● Part 2 12 Knowledge •Health and environmental information are basic rights • •UN Universal Declaration on Human Rights: Article 25 (1): Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control. [USEMAP] The Invironment and Risk ● Part 2 13 Knowledge •According to Czech law and international law, environmental protection, health, and information are rights •Czech constitution, Article 7 on Natural Resources: The state shall see to it that natural resources are used economically and natural wealth is protected. [USEMAP] The Invironment and Risk ● Part 2 14 Knowledge •Right to favorable environmental quality, and timely & complete info about environmental quality young Czech Charter of Fundamental Rights and Freedoms: • Right to free health care [USEMAP] The Invironment and Risk ● Part 2 15 Power •Who defines relevant or valid information? •Who controls media communication about information? •Who makes decisions about taking risky action? • signal_e_a000633519 [USEMAP] The Invironment and Risk ● Part 2 16 Trust •How can people believe information from different sources? •Do people have faith in institutions to… –Inform them –Represent their interests –Make decisions & take action that protect them ad111103_2 ct24 2007photos_290_1 [USEMAP] The Invironment and Risk ● Part 2 17 End of Part 2 Continue to Part 3. 9 [USEMAP] The Invironment and Risk ● Part 2 18 Citations Used in This Lecture •Beck, Ulrich. 1992. Risk Society: Towards a New Modernity. London: Sage.