Communication and Risk Society

Abstract

Today it is noted that modern society has come to an end, whilst “risk society” emerges everywhere. This article thus aims to examine various meanings of “risk” and a relationship between communication and risk culture in everyday life. Influenced by postmodernism and interdisciplinary approaches, risk has become of interest amongst social scientists from the end of the 20th century onwards. Risk is perceived to be more globalised, less identifiable, more serious in their effects, less easily manageable, and anxiety-provoking. Importantly, many social theorists (i.e., Mary Douglas, Anthony Giddens, Michel Foucault, and last but not least, Ulrich Beck) contend that communication media plays a crucial role to construct and circulate cultural meanings of risk in post-industrial society.