The social arena concept of risk debates

Abstract

This chapter illuminates one aspect of the complex risk issue that needs more theoretical grounding before it can become part of a synoptic framework. At this time, we have fairly good knowledge of the prospects and limitations of technical risk analyses; a fairly good understanding of individual risk perception; case study data about institutional management and organizational constraints; a fair amount of data from investigations into the media coverage of risk and its impacts on individual perception; interesting and often challenging essays on social constructions of risk issues; and many studies about social mobilization for political purposes. What appears to be missing, however, is a better understanding of the structural factors that shape interactions among social groups and influence the outcome of social conflicts over risk.