Beck's Theory of Risk Society Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Beck's Theory of Risk Society - Essay Example Time and again, sociologists have studied societal behaviours and have coined different names for different societies. With the advent of the era of advanced modernity, societal thinkers went into further depths and coined even more comprehensive titles such as Affluent societies, Civic Societies, Open societies etc. One of the most prominent societal thinkers of this new modern era is Ulrich Beck. INTRODUCTION TO BECK AND RISK SOCIETY The German sociologist coined the name of Risk Society in his book ‘’ Toward a New Modernity’’ to explain that this era of advanced modernity is overwhelmed by the underlying risks that form an integral part of the future of these societies. Beck uses the term to identify societies that are risk averse and try to find out systematic methodologies to deal with risks induced by the modernisation itself. The term risk society is also analysed through the paradigms of a theoretical framework. This frame comprises of three interre lated ingredients: Individualization, Risk and reflexive modernity. The underlying basis of Beck to his argument is that modern society is exposed to a plenthora of risks and uncertainties. These uncertainties can include nuclear radiations, global warming, highly endemic diseases, invasive species and many other virulent phenomena (Adam, 2000). CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF BECKS THEORY: The historical theoretical work on societies centered around the distribution of world resources. Particularly those of the beginning of the modern era but with the new concept of risk aversiveness, Beck has given new paradigms to the societal risk theories. He argues that today, the focus of societies is not on the distribution of resources but on the distribution of risks and machinations of modernization, the risks prevalent in the contemporary scenario. He furthers his stance by saying that many potential risks are extricated from the concepts of boundaries and so these risks cannot be equitably distrib uted. Everyone therefore is equally at risk. Hence the concept of social classifications identified by the historical sociologists are no longer relevant according to Beck because risks cannot be equitably distributed and so all social classes are dissolved leading to individualization of the social actors. INDIVIDUALIZATION: According to Beck since all countries are equally exposed to the risks identified earlier, all entities, organizations, institutions and governments stand at the same level and so they are individualized at their own domains. Thus they have to take charge of the responsibilities and work on solutions to mitigating these risks. These individualized social actors identify the risks generated from technological innovation and new discoveries and they undertake action such as social movements and awareness campaigns to pressurize the innovators in being safety complaint. On the basis of this idea of individualization, Beck illustrates the vision of ‘New Moder nity’. He portrays a society where personal experimentation and cultural innovation are cherished at the back of high potential uncertainties. Beck considers both regressive and progressive elements to individualization REFLEXIVE MODERNIZATION Beck criticises modernity by attacking the presuppositions of the theory of modernity related socialization. He is of the opinion that many sociologists confuse modernity with industrialism. He finds progress in the overrated social theories which align linear

Hitler's Mein Kampf Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Hitler's Mein Kampf - Essay Example It later became part of Hitler's propaganda, a psychologically powerful technique used to draw support from and control the behavior of the "irrational" masses. In his view of society, Hitler puts the Aryan race at the top of the human ladder, branding them as the "master" or superior race. The Aryan culture is described as enlightened, since he maintains that this ethnic group is the source of all genius, knowledge and cultural and scientific development. As "culture-founders", the Aryans are responsible for or have influence over the development of other cultures; Aryans are referred to as "the founders of mankind". Other races are referred to as "lesser" or inferior races. As such, their cultures are not dominant, original or unique, simply a mere imitation of Aryan culture (the core) with external features or characteristics (the execution) that are particular to that other race. Therefore, other races are referred to as "culture-bearers": the creativity, inspiration and originality of their culture is due to foreign influences and, when the original creative race nucleus (the cultural driving force) is lost, culture stiffens, cultural development stops and, according to his own words, "darkness will again fall upon the earth [] and the world would turn into a desert." 2 Hitler also describes Aryan supremacy as "fate". ... He states that Aryans, as the master race, cannot avoid their role as supporters or developers of other human cultures since leadership is part of their genetic makeup. In this statement he implies some form of "divine" intervention, the influence of some external force that has chosen Aryans as the supreme race to rule the world. Interestingly, Hitler admits the crucial role that other races play in cultural and scientific development. While Aryans' special abilities make them adapt to all conditions and drive development forward, the presence of other races is instrumental in this development as human auxiliary forces, as part of the machinery. Without the help of the lesser men, Aryans would never have been able to achieve this higher culture. Inferior people, like animals, replace the lack of technical means. Similarly to animals, lesser races need to be tamed and trained to complete certain tasks, which in turn allows Aryans to develop techniques and procedures that substitute or replace them. He concludes that, once the lesser races have fulfilled their role and are no longer required, they can be eliminated, they may "go". In this view of culture and society, Hitler places other races and their contribution below those of animals. He explains that lesser people fulfilled their role as "forces" before animals did for the development of the first culture known to man. However, in their role as masters and propagators of culture, Aryans made one error: they spared the lives of those individuals they had enslaved and gave them a better fate than the rest of the subjects from his pack, they gave them "freedom". However, the subjected inferior races began to rise as they approached their masters linguistically and intellectually and the differences