The problem of risk and responsibility in modern society

Abstract

The article examines the changes that have occurred in the nature of risks and threats in modern society. The authors refer to the works of foreign and domestic researchers who have contributed to the explanation of the transformations that have taken place in the so-called risk society. Thus, attention is paid to understanding the foundations of the sociology of risk in the works of O. N. Yanitsky; the difference between the two types of modernity by U. Beck; differentiation of risk and danger N. Luhmann; new properties of risks in the context of globalization by A. Giddens; the ability of social systems to produce risks, described in the works of O. Renn; the peculiarities of the world of high-risk technologies by Ch. Perrow; methods of adaptation to the risks considered by E. V. Shlykova; the role of politics and the state in relation to risks by P. Slovic and K. Tierney. The authors emphasize the global nature of modern risks. Emphasis is placed on the inequality of society, social communities and individuals in the face of threats associated with various risks. Also, the problem of responsibility and the inevitable politicization of risks are considered. The article discloses the conflicting nature of the relationship between risk producers and risk consumers, including different motivations of these actors. By raising issues of political intervention and governance in a “risk society”, the authors address the issue of equity. It is noted that responsibility, positive and negative consequences of risk should be evenly distributed among members of society. The opposite situation could be reason for serious conflicts. An alternative to such a development of events can be an open and broad public discussion, which can help to defend the interests of all participants and resolve the problem of imbalance on a more equitable basis. The authors note different variants of adaptation to risks, and tendencies towards the emergence of protest moods as one of the forms of this adaptation.