The main purpose for this project is to create a network of researchers who have all been studying the social construction of environmental risk. A common denominator of this work is that all researchers have carried out fieldwork. The experience of field work within the research group is extensive and covers a broad array of settings and situations in different countries, thus providing an excellent ground for the development of comparative insights. Furthermore, this comparative approach gives opportunity to develop social theory on risk on a powerful empirical basis, something which is strongly needed especially in a European setting. This proposal wants to work on the empirical knowledge and experience available in the work of all groups participating to advance theoretical work on the social and cultural construction of risk.
In order to obtain a common fround for delimitation of risk we think it would be fruitful to define the concept of “situated risk”. By this notion we imply that risks are always embedded in a specific time and place; there are no free-floating abstracts, disinterested risks, disassociated from time and space or without social meanings. Having studied different situations such as dams, tunnels and other infrastructures constructions, industrial hazards, nuclear power stations and volcanic eruptions, this step is a logical consequence of our work.
The Network for the Research into the Construction of Environmnetal Risk has constituted a good experience in collaborative research activities. It began with an ambitious agenda and considerable intellectual challenge. The final report of this project, which was concluded by the end of 2001, is shown here.
