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A Study On Giddens' Risk Society Theory

Posted on:2015-02-23Degree:DoctorType:Dissertation
Country:ChinaCandidate:H G XiaFull Text:PDF
GTID:1107330428478570Subject:Marxist philosophy
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Although Giddens is the actively advocator of risk society theory, his risk society theory has not been enough attention to, the achievements on his theory can been found in various books and papers, his theory is not studied comprehensively and systematically by the scholars. In the paper, Giddens’ risk society theory as the subject will be tried to study carefully, and it will be completely and clearly presented in accordance with the logical order. At the same time, through the analysis to the Giddens’s risk society theory, I shall point out its characteristics, value and limitations.There are introduction, body and conclusion included in the paper, and the body part contains five chapters.Introduction:It explains the reason that Giddens’s risk society theory is been as the subject studied, summarizes the current research on Giddens’ theory at home and abroad and illustrates the ideas, methods and innovations.Chapter I:It explores the theoretical origins of Giddens’risk society theory. The paper points out that the vigorous development of globalization and the risk reality that the capitalism society is facing in the development process is not only the social and historical background of the theory of western risk society but also of Giddens’risk society. The paper investigates the evolution of the western risk society, and points out it has formed three basic groups in its evolution:realism faction, culture factions and institutionalism faction. Giddens’risk society theory belongs to the institutional faction. On this basis, the paper explores the theoretical origins. It point out that Marx’s risk thought, the exploration and reflection on "human dilemma" problem of the Club of Rome, Jeremy Rivkin and Ted Howard’s entropy theory, the analysis and diagnosis on modern social development condition of the Frankfurt School, the reflection and critique on modernity of post-modernism have important influence to Giddens’risk society theory and they are the important origins to it.ChapterⅡ:It explores that Giddens’the explanation and analysis of risk problem and the origin and feature of risk society. Giddens investigates and defines the origin,history and modern connotation of the concept of risk, compares the risk environment between the pre modern society and modern society, analyzes briefly the causes of risk in the modern society, points out they that the design errors, errors in operation, unexpected consequences, the cycle (reflective) of knowledge and different powers and values cause modernity risk. Giddens points out that "the end of nature" and "the end of the tradition" marked the beginning of the risk society. In the risk society,risk has the global, artificial, unpredictable, hard to control,dual characteristics etc.ChapterⅢ:It analyzes the risk society under the background of modernity. Giddens’exploration to the risk society is not isolated, but is placed under the macro background of modernity, and it is a profound reflection and criticism of modernity problems in the process of development. Firstly, Giddens defines modernity and divides the development process of modernity into two stages: simple modernity and reflective modernity. The stage of reflective modernity means the coming of risk society. At the same time, Giddens believes that we still live in modern society, not beyond modernity, just at the stage of radical modernity. Gidens still use the concept of post-modernity, but its meaning has changed. The post-modernity he said is not deconstruction and subversion to modernity that postmodernists understand, but inheritance and development to modernity, and it lead to a higher stage of modernity. Secondly, Giddens discusses the relationship between the risk society and modernity. He points out that the risk society is "the dark side of modernity","Modernity always involves the conception of modernity", The process of generation and expansion of risk conception itself embodies the process of modernity. He also describes the profile of modernity. Thirdly, Giddens analyzes the risk caused by the institutional dimensions of modernity. The institutional dimensions of modernity include capitalism, industrialism, supervision and military. In modernity condition, the four institutional dimensions can cause the risk of collapse of economic growth mechanism, the growth of the totalitarian, ecological destruction and disasters, nuclear conflict and large war. Finally, Giddens analyzes the risk caused by globalization of modernity. In modern society, the three dynamic mechanisms(separation of time and space, disembedding, reflexive of modernity) promote the formation of globalization of modernity. The feature of globalization can cause the risk of the massive poverty in the world, the impact and destruction of ecological system, the negative of the democratic rights, the threat of large war etc. Global risks mean "the end of other", but the distribution of risk between different groups is unbalanced.ChapterⅣ:Countermeasures of risk society. Giddens sums up four types of adaptive response to risk:pragmatic acceptance, persistent optimism, cynical pessimism, the radical involvement. He points out we should take a radical approach to respond positively for risk. So, he puts forward the countermeasures from macro and micro levels. On the macro, he creates utopia realism mode, and the mode includes utopian ideal and realistic measures. The utopian ideal that Giddens designs is a postmodern order which transcend modernity, which includes four aspects:the system beyond the lack, multi-level democratic participation, humanitarian of technology, demilitarization. The realistic measures of utopian realism mode start from political field. Its main contents are as follows:Firstly, four dimensions of utopian realism, which includes emancipator politics, life politics, local politics, global politics. Among them, emancipator politics and life politics constitute an axis of utopian realism, which embody the content achieved of utopian realism; local politics and global politics constitute an axis of utopian realism, which embody the regional scope of utopian realism. In order to cope with the risk of modernity, emancipator politics and life politics should be combined, local politics and global politics a should be combined. At the same time, the four dimensions of utopian realism also should be combined. Secondly, social movements. Giddens attaches importance to the important role of social movements. Specifically, he talked about four types of social movement, namely the labor movement, freedom of speech/democracy, the peace movement, the ecology movement. Giddens points out that social movements are the wheel to the future. Thirdly, Reconstruction of radical political thought and "the Third Way". The thoughts are the new development of utopian realism thought that copes with modernity risk, and they have strong colors of social transformation. On the micro, in order to withstand and deal with risks, individuals are mainly through the ways of the active and passive acceptance the risks, playing the role of protective cocoon, building ontological security.Chapter V.It analyzes the features, the theoretical values, limitations of Giddens’risk society. The paper compares Giddens’risk society theory with Beck’, so that people have clearer understanding to Giddens’risk society theory. The features of Giddens’risk society theory are as follows: comprehensive, institutional tendencies, it is closely related to modernity. Its theoretical values are as follows:strengthening people’s awareness of risk, deepening people’s understanding of the negative effects of modernity, providing new ways to deal with risks. Its limitations are as follows:obvious western centralism, the incompleteness of exploring the causes of risk society, strong color utopianism and reformism. Giddens’risk society theory has important enlightenment and reference for China’s socialist modernization.Conclusion:It briefly summarizes Giddens’risk society theory.
Keywords/Search Tags:Giddens, risk society, the theoretical origin, modernity, globalization, utopian realism
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