Living in and coping with world risk society - 42nd St. Gallen Symposium

Summary

The transcript presents a thought-provoking lecture by Professor Beck on the concept of 'world risk society,' a state of modernity where society grapples with unprecedented risks and uncertainties. He discusses the challenges of conveying the dangers of nuclear waste to future generations as an example of the broader issue of managing risks that extend beyond national borders and the control of current institutions. Beck emphasizes the ambivalence of global risks, which can lead to both negative and positive outcomes, and the need for a cosmopolitan approach to risk management that transcends national boundaries. He suggests that the current crisis of modernity is not a failure, but rather a consequence of its success, and calls for a paradigm shift in the social sciences to better understand and respond to global risks. The lecture concludes with an exploration of the potential for global risks to serve as a catalyst for new forms of statehood and international cooperation.

Takeaways

• 🌍 The concept of a 'world risk society' involves global risks that transcend national boundaries, requiring international cooperation to manage.
• ⚠️ Modern societies are characterized by the production and management of risks that are often self-created, such as those related to nuclear waste or climate change.
• 🧩 The complexity of contemporary risks means that traditional institutions and nation-states struggle to address issues that affect humanity as a whole.
• 🕵️‍♂️ The 'cosmopolitan moment' refers to a point in time where global risks or events make people realize the need for collective action across national borders.
• 📉 The financial crisis and climate change are examples of global risks that have the potential to destabilize the existing order and necessitate a new approach to governance.
• 🔍 The distinction between risk and catastrophe is important; risk implies the anticipation of potential future disasters, which is a key aspect of modernity.
• 🚧 The 'irony of risk' suggests that the very success of modern institutions in controlling uncertainties can lead to the creation of new, unanticipated risks.
• 🌐 Global risks have three features: delocalization, indeterminacy, and non-compensability, which challenge traditional methods of risk management.
• 🤔 The 'enlightenment function' of global risks refers to their potential to expose the limitations of current societal structures and catalyze the creation of new institutions.
• 📚 Social sciences need a 'cosmopolitan turn' to better understand and analyze the global dynamics and interdependencies of the modern world.
• 💡 The idea of 'cosmopolitan nationalism' suggests that national interests can be pursued through cooperation with other nations, reflecting a new form of global politics.

Q & A

What was the central problem the US Congress' expert Commission faced regarding American nuclear waste?

The central problem was how to design a language or symbolism that could effectively convey warnings about the threats posed by American nuclear waste to future generations, even ten thousand years from now.

What was the composition of the expert Commission established by the US Congress?

The Commission included a diverse group of experts such as physicists, anthropologists, linguists, NOAA scientists, psychologists, biologists, classical scholars, artists, and theologians.

What is the 'irony of risk' that the lecture discusses?

The 'irony of risk' refers to the ambivalence of being at risk, which is a way of being and ruling in the world of modernity. It highlights that being at global risk is a human condition at the beginning of the 21st century, despite the widespread feeling of doom.

What are the three features that characterize global risks in the context of world risk society?

The three features are delocalization (risks not limited to one geographical location), incalculability (consequences are based on hypothetical risks and scientific uncertainty), and non-compensability (once a global catastrophe occurs, it is too late and cannot be compensated for).

How does the concept of 'organized irresponsibility' relate to global risks?

Organized irresponsibility refers to the lack of a clear agent or entity that can be held responsible for the consequences of global risks. It reflects a systemic issue where no one is accountable for the potential outcomes of large-scale risks.

What is the 'cosmopolitan moment' in the context of world risk society?

The cosmopolitan moment is a latent revolutionary state in which the normalcy and emergency states overlap, leading to a situation where global risks break down national boundaries and create a shared global space of threat. It is a moment that can inspire conflicting responses and can be a vital step toward constructing new institutions.

Why is there a need for a paradigm shift in the social sciences according to the lecture?

There is a need for a paradigm shift in the social sciences because the traditional nation-state frame of reference, or methodological nationalism, prevents the social sciences from fully understanding and analyzing the dynamics, ambivalences, opportunities, and ironies of world risk society.

What is the role of 'organized irresponsibility' in the context of modern society?

Organized irresponsibility refers to a systemic issue where there is no clear responsibility for the consequences of certain actions, particularly in relation to risks and catastrophes. It is a feature of modern society where the complexity and scale of operations can lead to a diffusion of accountability.

How does the concept of 'world risk society' challenge traditional economic models?

The concept of 'world risk society' challenges traditional economic models by highlighting the limitations of these models in addressing and anticipating large-scale, global risks. It suggests that mainstream economics has often neglected the role of uncertainty and the 'unknown' in decision-making processes.

What does the 'cosmopolitan moment' offer in terms of opportunities for society?

The 'cosmopolitan moment' offers opportunities for society to reevaluate its priorities and structures, promoting a more inclusive and cooperative approach to global challenges. It can lead to the creation of new institutions and policies that are better equipped to handle transnational risks and uncertainties.

How does the 'world risk society' concept relate to the individual's perception of risk in their personal lives?

The 'world risk society' concept can be related to the individual's perception of risk in personal lives by highlighting how modernity has increased both the awareness and the complexity of risks. It suggests that individuals may seek out risks in their personal lives as a way to cope with or counterbalance the perceived risks in the broader society.

What is the significance of the 'cosmopolitan turn' in the social sciences?

The 'cosmopolitan turn' in the social sciences signifies a shift towards a more global and interconnected perspective that moves beyond the limitations of methodological nationalism. It emphasizes the importance of understanding social phenomena within a global context, recognizing the interdependence and complexity of modern society.

Outlines

00:00

🤔 The Challenge of Communicating Long-Term Risks

The first paragraph discusses the complexities of living within and coping with a world that is filled with societal risks. It uses the example of the US Congress establishing a Commission to develop a language or symbolism to warn future generations about the dangers of American nuclear waste. The Commission, comprising a diverse group of experts, faced the challenge of creating a design that could convey a message millennia from now. The paragraph highlights the irony of risk in modern society and the limitations of language when it comes to addressing the long-term consequences of our actions, particularly with the use of advanced technologies.

05:03

🌐 The Emergence of a Risk Society and its Global Implications

The second paragraph delves into the concept of a 'world risk society,' where modern societies are increasingly preoccupied with managing risks they themselves have produced. It contrasts the perception of safety in the West with the reality of manufactured uncertainties and global catastrophes. The paragraph outlines the features of global risks, including delocalization, organized irresponsibility, and non-compensability. It also touches on the shift from a reactive to a proactive approach, emphasizing the need for a paradigm shift in social sciences to address these new challenges.

10:04

🧐 The Paradox of Knowledge and Risk Management

The third paragraph explores the paradox at the heart of risk management, where the attempt to control risk can inadvertently produce new and unknown catastrophes. It discusses the concept of organized irresponsibility and the challenges of dealing with hypothetical risks that are based on scientific uncertainty. The paragraph also reflects on the economic theories of risk and uncertainty, highlighting the importance of acknowledging what we do not know and the need for a new approach to economics that incorporates this uncertainty.

15:07

🌟 The Cosmopolitan Moment and Global Risk Perception

The fourth paragraph introduces the idea of a 'cosmopolitan moment' in world risk society, where the state of normalcy and the state of emergency overlap. It discusses how global risks break down national boundaries and necessitate transnational cooperation to manage threats that are beyond the control of individual nations. The paragraph also suggests that global risks can serve as a catalyst for political action and consensus, both nationally and internationally, and can lead to the destabilization of existing orders and the creation of new institutions.

20:10

🔄 The Need for a Paradigm Shift in Social Sciences

The fifth paragraph calls for a paradigm shift in the social sciences, arguing that the traditional nation-state framework is inadequate for understanding the dynamics of a world risk society. It emphasizes the need for a cosmopolitan turn in the social sciences, which would provide new perspectives on local and national issues within a global context. The paragraph also discusses the potential for a cosmopolitan form of statehood and the importance of transnational cooperation for regaining national sovereignty in a globalized economy.

25:13

🤝 Cosmopolitan Nationalism and the Future of Global Cooperation

The sixth paragraph continues the discussion on cosmopolitanism, suggesting that nationalism must evolve to incorporate cosmopolitan principles for its own benefit. It acknowledges the tension between the descriptive and predictive aspects of the analysis and emphasizes the ambivalence of the current situation. The paragraph also addresses the role of global risks in uniting people across borders and the potential for these risks to serve as a catalyst for political action and change.

30:13

🏛️ The Historical Context of Risk and the Cosmopolitan Moment

The seventh paragraph explores the historical context of risk and the concept of the cosmopolitan moment. It distinguishes between natural catastrophes and those related to modernity, where decisions made by individuals, companies, and governments have far-reaching consequences. The paragraph discusses the anticipation of catastrophes and how this can lead to political action and a sense of global unity, as well as the potential for nationalist and xenophobic reactions to these risks.

35:15

💡 Applying the Concept of World Risk Society in Practice

The eighth paragraph addresses the question of how the concept of world risk society can be applied in practical terms. It suggests that the insurance principle, a significant innovation of modernity, could be extended to the banking and financial systems, making private insurance mandatory for these sectors. The paragraph proposes that such a change could have significant implications for managing risk and uncertainty in these areas.

40:15

🤔 Risk and the Human Condition in Modern Society

The ninth and final paragraph invites further questions from the audience, indicating an open discussion on the topic. It reflects on the human condition in the 21st century, where being at risk is a way of life and global risk is a shared human condition. The paragraph concludes with an acknowledgment of the complexity and ongoing nature of the dialogue on world risk society.

Keywords

💡Risk Society

A risk society is a concept that describes a social condition where individuals and institutions are preoccupied with the management and mitigation of risks that are created by modernity itself. In the video, it is discussed as a state of modernity where the production of new risks and uncertainties is a defining feature, and it is closely tied to the challenges that societies face due to advancements in technology and globalization.

💡Cosmopolitan Moment

The cosmopolitan moment refers to a period or situation where global risks and challenges necessitate a transnational response and cooperation, transcending national boundaries. It is mentioned in the context of how societies must come together to address threats such as climate change and economic crises, which are not confined to any single nation.

💡Organized Irresponsibility

Organized irresponsibility is a term used to describe a situation where no single entity or individual can be held accountable for the consequences of certain actions, often due to the complex and distributed nature of modern systems. The video discusses this in relation to global risks, where the causes and consequences are not localized and responsibility is diffuse.

💡Anticipation of Catastrophe

The anticipation of catastrophe is the act of foreseeing and preparing for potential disasters or crises that may occur in the future. It is central to the discussion of risk in the video, as societies are increasingly focused on preventing or mitigating the effects of anticipated global catastrophes such as climate change or economic collapse.

💡Modernity

Modernity is characterized by the video as an era marked by rapid technological and social change, which brings about new forms of risk and uncertainty. It is associated with the development of complex institutions and systems that, while successful in many ways, also produce unintended consequences that challenge traditional methods of risk management.

💡Global Risk

Global risk refers to the potential for widespread and far-reaching negative impacts that can affect societies on a worldwide scale. The video discusses global risks such as climate change and financial crises, emphasizing their transnational nature and the need for a global response.

💡Methodological Nationalism

Methodological nationalism is the tendency in social sciences to approach research with the nation-state as the primary unit of analysis. The video criticizes this approach for its limitations in understanding the dynamics of a world risk society, where issues and solutions often transcend national boundaries.

💡Cosmopolitan Nationalism

Cosmopolitan nationalism is a concept that suggests a blending of national identity with a global perspective, recognizing the need for international cooperation while maintaining national sovereignty. It is presented as a potential path forward in a world where global risks require collective action.

💡Manufactured Uncertainties

Manufactured uncertainties are risks and uncertainties that are created as a byproduct of human activities and decisions, particularly those related to technological and scientific advancements. The video discusses how these uncertainties challenge traditional risk management strategies and necessitate new approaches to governance and policy-making.

💡Transnational Cooperation

Transnational cooperation is the act of different nations working together to address issues that affect multiple countries or the global community as a whole. It is highlighted in the video as a necessary response to global risks, which cannot be effectively managed by individual nations acting alone.

💡Reflexive Modernization

Reflexive modernization is a concept that describes how societies critically reflect on and adjust their institutions and practices in response to the new risks and challenges of modernity. The video uses this concept to discuss the need for societies to adapt and evolve in the face of global risks and manufactured uncertainties.

Highlights

Living in a world risk society means coping with uncertainties and potential catastrophes that are a product of modernity.

The US Congress established an expert Commission to develop a long-term warning system for nuclear waste, highlighting the challenge of communicating with future generations.

The Commission's interdisciplinary approach included experts from various fields, emphasizing the complexity of addressing long-term global risks.

Modern societies are increasingly preoccupied with managing risks they themselves have produced, which may lead to global catastrophes.

The concept of 'world risk society' involves risks that are delocalized, hypothetical, and non-compensable, challenging traditional risk management strategies.

The 'cosmopolitan moment' refers to a situation where global risks break down national boundaries and necessitate international cooperation.

Global risks can act as a catalyst for change, potentially leading to new forms of governance and international collaboration.

The current global situation is ambivalent, with both negative and positive potentials, and it is unclear which direction the future will take.

The 'cosmopolitan moment' can be seen in events like climate change discussions and 9/11, where there is a collective realization of shared global threats.

The concept of 'organized irresponsibility' reflects the lack of accountability in systems that produce global risks.

The need for a paradigm shift in social sciences is emphasized, moving away from methodological nationalism to a more cosmopolitan perspective.

The 'world risk society' theory suggests that the traditional nation-state model is inadequate for addressing modern global challenges.

The idea of 'cosmopolitan nationalism' or 'national cosmopolitanism' is introduced, suggesting a blend of national interests with global cooperation.

The lecture suggests that the insurance principle, a successful invention of modernity, could be adapted to manage financial risks, similar to how it is used in the automotive industry.

The anticipation of catastrophes can induce political action and mobilize people across borders, leading to a more cosmopolitan form of statehood.

The sociological perspective on risk focuses on the structural changes and transformations in society induced by the production of manufactured uncertainties.

The lecture concludes with a call for a cosmopolitan turn in social sciences, emphasizing interconnectedness and the need for new theories to address global challenges.

Transcripts

well thank you very much for staying

here in this darkroom not attending the

nice Sun outside in my lecture I want to

ask the question what does living in and

coping with word with society mean the

best way to start is with one example a

couple of years ago the US Congress

established an expert Commission to

develop a language or symbolism capable

of warning against the threats posed by

American nuclear waste that's ten

thousand years from now the problem to

be solved was how must concept and

symbols be designed in order to convey a

message to future generations millennia

from now the Commission included

physicist anthropologist linguist NOAA

scientists psychologists biologists

classical scholars artists theologians

etc the first question it has to address

was will the United States even exist

ten thousand years from now of course

the u.s. Commission had no trouble

answering that question

USA forever however the central problem

of how to create a model of design to

start a conversation with the future

10,000 years from now prove to be

insoluble the expert looked for models

in the oldest symbols of humanity they

studied the construction of Stonehenge

and the pyramids they examined the

historical reception of who Mia and the

Bible but these reached back at most a

couple of thousand years not ten four

the anthropologist recommended the

symbol of the skull and crossbones a

historian reminded the Commission

however that the skull and the

crossbones symbolized Rhys erection for

the Artemis and the psychologist

conducted an experiment with

three-year-olds if the symbol was

affixed to a bottle they answered sleaze

coated poison but it was placed on the

wall they enthusiastically Gerald

pirates other scholars proposed paving

the ground around the waste side with

quranic metal and stone plaque which

characterized as passing all kind of

warnings but the linguists were

innumerous that they would only be

understood for 2,000 years at most the

very scientific sophistication of the

commission showed how the crisis of

modernity followed from its triumphs we

are not actually I would say in a crisis

of modernity we are suffering from the

consequences of the victory of modernity

the unwanted and unseen consequences of

the victory of modernity and here even

we have one of the indicators even

language even language fails when faced

with the task of warning future

generations against the dangers we have

introduced into the world by using high

modern technologies in this lecture I

want to investigate the irony of risk

which is ambivalence being at risk is

the way of being and ruling in the world

of modernity being at global risk is a

human condition at the beginning of the

21st century of word rest society but

against the grain of the current

widespread feeling of doom I would like

to ask what is the wrath of history

which ought which is also inherent in

word with society

the mergers with its realization or more

tightly formulated is there an

enlightenment function a cosmopolitan

moment of word rest society so what are

the opportunities of climate change and

the financial crisis and what form do

they take there is an Australia built

into foundations of European social

science thought which has never never

disappeared perhaps paradoxically this

Knost area can be overcome with a theory

of world with society my aim is the non

nostalgic new critical theory to look at

the past and the futures of modernity in

my argument I want to keep the two

contradictory views within modernity

self-destructiveness and ability to

begin a new imbalance with one another I

would like to demonstrate this Ian's

three steps drawing on empirical

research in my Munich Research Center on

reflexive modernization first old the

dangers new risk what is new about word

with society second cosmopolitan moment

what does this mean third consequences

is the need for a paradigm shift in the

social sciences old dangerous new risk

what is new about word with society

modern society has become a risk society

in the sense that it is increasingly

occupied with debating preventing and

managing risk that itself has produced

that may well be many will object but it

demonstrates why the hysteria and

politics of fear produced by the mass

media on the contrary would not someone

looking at Western society from the

outside have to acknowledge it the risks

which get us worked up a luxury risks

more than any else after all our world

is a lot safer than that say of the

war-torn regions in Africa Afghanistan

or the Middle East a modern society is

not distinguished precisely by the fact

that to a large extent they have

succeeded in bringing under control

contingencies and uncertainties with

respect to accidents violence and

thickness in crisis as - as such

observations may be they miss the most

obvious point about risk that is the key

distinction between risk and catastrophe

risk does not mean catastrophe risk

means the anticipation of catastrophe we

have to distinguish between the future

future and the present future the future

future is in principle unknown we are

always talking about the future but the

future future is in principle unknown we

are actually when we talk about the

future we anticipate the future but all

kinds of means which we have those might

be mathematical models or might be some

kinds of designed and visualizations

symbolic forms staging mediation and so

on so it is actually the anticipated

future the present future which makes us

acting and thinking and this is an

important difference it is specially

important difference at a time and I

will come to this by the way where we

anticipate it where we anticipate new

kinds of catastrophes beyond our means

of control the old palek paradigmatic

threat to security has not become

absolute since the end of the Cold War

there are still states that compete for

territory and resources and threaten

each other military militarily but the

dangers which are more clearly perceived

than at the end of the east-west

conflict are quite different

a form of right different order they

often lack clarity identifiable agents a

whole still intent or military potential

the danger is not direct intentional and

definite states which face risks and

dangers rather than enemies have it

completely involved in a completely

different logic they have actually no

need to see the world in terms of enemy

images but do need to see the world in

terms of transnational cooperation in

order to cope with the risks which they

cannot control nationally this is what

theory of word with society maintains

modern societies are shaped by new kinds

of risks and manufactured uncertainties

their foundations are shaking by global

anticipation of global catastrophes such

perceptions of global risk are

characterized by three features first

delocalization its causes and

consequences are not limited to one

geographical location or space then

principle only present and actually

there is nobody from the system who is

responsible for them there's an

organized irresponsibility in relation

to those consequences second encounter

politeness its consequences line

principle incapable at bottom it's a

matter of HIPAA hypothetical risks which

not least are based on science induced

not knowing and normative dissent so

actually I think you are talking we are

discussing this in the session before

already but this is actually part of of

the definition of word with society we

are not only confronted by by risk or

risk taking but we are confronted by the

attempts to control risk and thereby

produce even new and unknown anticipated

catastrophes for

which actually our knowledge is

incomplete or maybe in principle

incomplete as well and the third feature

is non compensability non-competitive

bility the security of dream of first

modernity based on the mastery of unsafe

consequences and dangers of decision

accidents could occur as long as and

because they were considered compensable

once a global financial system has

collapsed once climate change has

changed irrevocably revocable once

terrorist group possess weapons of mass

destruction then it is too late given

this new quality of flex to humanity the

logic of compensation breaks down and is

replaced by the principle of precaution

by prevention those are events which are

not allowed to happen we imagine them in

order that they could not happen and

therefore actually the mechanism of

learning which we sulfur actually

institutionalize in which taking and

trying to find out about how we can

manage and cope with those with don't

work anymore the discovery of in

culpability of risk is closely connected

to the discovery of the importance of

not knowing to risk calculation and it

is part of another kind of irony that

surprisingly this discovery of not

knowing occurred in a scholarly

discipline which today no longer wants

to have anything to do with it the

economics it was Frank Knight then John

Maynard Keynes who early insisted on the

distinction between predictable and non

predictable or capable and non callable

forms of contingency in a famous article

Keynes wrote 1900

37 by uncertain knowledge I quote by

uncertain knowledge let me explain I do

not mean merely to distinguish what is

known from what is merely probable the

sense in which I'm using the term is

that in which the price of copper and

the rate of interest 20 years hence all

the observance of a new invention are

uncertain about these matters there's no

scientific basis which to form any

capable probability whatsoever we simply

do not know however Keynes admonition to

open up the field of economics

decision-making to the unknown to the

non know noble of future systemic

catastrophes hidden the normalised

practices of risk-taking was neglected

in the sequent development of mainstream

economics including mainstream casian

economics the crucial point however is

not only the discovery of importance of

not knowing but that's similar that it

simultaneously the knowledge control and

security claim of state and society

where indeed had to be renewed deepened

and expanded on the other why the

expansion of not knowing on the other

wise or the other on the on the other

side on the other hand the important

principle of control and security of

state businesses and society

the irony lines and the

institutionalized security claim to have

to control something even if one does

not know whether it really exists but

why should a science or discipline

concern itself but what with what it

does not even know there is certainly a

conclusive sociological answer to this

because in the face of the production of

manufactured uncertainties society is

more than ever realize and insists on

security and control

second what is meant by a cosmopolitan

moment word with society is the latent

revolutionary society in which the state

of normalcy and the state of emergency

overlap from this one can explain the

historical power of global risk which is

neglected by economics and social odd

sociology of risk in dealing with

catastrophic risks the present of a

future state of emergency is being

negotiated the anticipation the

anticipated state of emergency is no

longer national but transnational at the

end maybe even cause for political the

believe that the risk facing humanity

can be averted by political action taken

on behalf of endangered humanity becomes

an unprecedented resource for consensus

legitimation nationally internationally

all kind of conflicts in this sense the

fundamental principles of modernity

including free-market principle the

nation-state order itself becomes

subject to change two controversies the

existence of alternatives and different

pictures of possible futures so what is

cosmopolitan about the cosmopolitan

moment global risks tear down national

boundaries and jumbled together the

native with a form the distant other is

becoming the inclusive other not from

mobility but for the perception of

catastrophe everyday life is becoming

cosmopolitan human beings must find a

meaning of life in the exchange with

others and no longer in the encounter

with like we all are trapped in a shared

global space of threat without exit this

may inspire highly conflicting responses

to which we nationalization xenophobia

also be long I actually cannot think of

any power inducing and forcing such a

global learning process in such a short

period of time be careful again not

catastrophe does this but the

anticipation of catastrophe does it

global risk is highly ambivalent

paradoxically also a moment of hope of

unbelievable opportunities a

cosmopolitan moment also some assist on

seeing an overreaction to risk mostly

this is the case global risk conflicts

global risk conflicts to indeed have an

Enlightenment function they destabilize

the existing order but can also be seen

as a vital step toward the construction

of new institutions global risk has the

power to confuse the mechanism of

organized irresponsibility and even to

open them up for political action egoism

autonomy Otto Poe is a self-isolation

in probability of translation these are

key terms for describe modern society in

sociology and in public discussions and

political debates as well

the communitive logic of global risk

must be understood on precisely the

opposite principle word which is the

unwanted unintended obligatory medium of

communication in a world of recon

sizeable difference differences in which

everyone is turning on their own axis

hence the public perception of risk

forces people to communicate who

otherwise do not want to have anything

to do with one another it imposes

obligations and costs on those who

resist them even with the law on their

side in other words large-scale risk cut

through the self-sufficiency of cultures

languages

religions and systems as much as though

the national and international agenda of

politics they overturn their priorities

and create context for action between

tempts parties quarreling nations that

know nothing about each other and reject

and oppose one another the strategies of

action which global risk open up

overthrow the order of power which has

formed in the neoliberal capital state

coalition global risk and power states

and civil society movements because

there with real new resources of

legitimation and options for action for

these groups and actors they disempower

global capital on the other end because

the consequences of economic decisions

contribute to the creating of global

risks and destabilize markets and even

the global market system altogether

conversely there is an opportunity to

bring about what I would like to call a

cosmopolitan form of statehood a state

which defines a nation-state which

defines it's not only on national terms

but on the need to cooperate with others

other states other nations in order to

solve their own national problems this

is not wishful thinking on the contrary

is an expression of a cosmopolitan VI

politic in an age of global risk a

politics of golden handcuffs the

creation of a dense network of

transnational independency is exactly

what is needed in order to regain

national sovereignty not least in

relation to highly mobile world economy

the maxims of nation based realpolitik

that national interest must necessarily

pursuit by national means must be

replaced by the maxims of cosmopolitan

way our politic inward with society

nationalism is becoming the enemy of the

nation

third and last consequences the paradigm

shift in the social sciences it is

evident that the taken-for-granted

nation-state frame of reference which I

call methodological nationalism prevents

the Social Sciences from understanding

and analyzing the dynamics and

ambivalences opportunities and ironies

of word with society methodological

nationalism is actually the fundamental

feature of the social sciences in their

thinking in their organizations in their

research method because they have been

invented and developed in the 19th

century they are pretty much using the

nation-state as a unit of research and

everything good and bad is actually

related to the nation-state it's

democracy it's a state itself it's class

conflict its family all of them are

related to the nation-state and we are

living in an interdependent even risk

producing world in which this point of

view and this methodology is actually

blinds us to reality and is a very deep

and I think important criticism which

has to picked up in order to just open

up to the reality we experience in

national context sociology and political

science are not the only disciplines

under pressure

economics is - there's a situation

vacant the theorist is thought to

succeed mr. Keynes in transnational

terms the need is now for a clever

reflexive regulation philosophy on

global scale including new actors like

transnational cooperations word bank

attack Greenpeace etc but the greatest

needs of all is a new theory of mixed

economy framed for the global

marketplace of today there's a new

defiant

Asian system was framed for the National

post-war economics we aren't we under we

under the spell of a sociology and

social sciences whose fundamental whose

foundations were conceived and developed

in the past one hundred and hundred

fifty years the first century of social

sciences over on the way into the second

which has now begun the space of

sociological imagination and research

has to be opened up and determined in

you what we need is a cosmopolitan turn

in the social sciences a cosmopolitan

sociology clearly distinguished itself

from a nationalist one because it

doesn't start out from something

abstract usually derived from a European

historical experience in context like

society world system individual etc

instead key concepts like transformation

like contingency ambivalence

interconnectedness or cosmopolitan take

center stage along with the

methodological questions posed by them

cosmopolitan social sciences therefore

opens up indispensible new perspectives

on seemingly isolated familiar local and

national context with this new

cosmopolitan vision it follows the

methodological path which other

disciplines such as contemporary art

apology geography ethnology have already

taken with enthusiasm at the end coming

back to the issue I raised at the

beginning of my lecture what is good

about something that is bad the

nationalistic egotism has to open up in

a cosmopolitan direction for its own

sake thus there is a cosmopolitan

nationalism or a national

cosmopolitanism in the making and of

course other alternative modalities are

possible thank you very much

professor thank you so much for that

absolutely a fascinating presentation I

wonder if I could take the liberty of

the first question or two if I heard you

correctly I thought there was a slight

tension between the descriptive part of

your analysis and the predictive part

the beginning and the end basically if I

heard you correctly in the beginning you

saw an ambivalent universe one with an

unprecedented level or type of risk but

very much in equipoise between negative

and positive risk or risk and

opportunity toward the end I thought you

were moving quite clearly and

passionately even toward one side of

that balance the idea that global

governance would more likely than not

win out over the current patterns

national nation-state or traditional

capital but I'm wondering is have I

notice might be you only have 20 minutes

to talk so no no no I might that might

be a correct impression of of the short

lecture I give but I think it's as I

said at the beginning we are in a very

ambivalent situation on the one hand

whisk and I'm talking well I have to say

not since 25 years about with society as

a stage of modernity in which the

institutions we have developed to cope

with uncertainty which is created by

modernity and not able to produce this

uncertainty to produce a certainty

because they are so successful they have

consequences which go beyond the

nation-state which go beyond our

imagination of all kinds of things

but there's a strong relationship if you

if you look at this between global risk

or world with society and

cosmopolitanism in the twofold sense one

sense is that actually it is more effect

that in order to cope with global risk

we have to include even the excluded

other we have to cooperate with people

and nations and cultures which we don't

know they're actually part of our inner

problem at home in private relationship

as well as in politics and businesses

and so on but this is a factual thing

and people really can protest against

this they don't like this they even I

would even say the way of we

nationalization we experience take you

up as an example is a reaction to the

situation of experience

interconnectedness of being forced to

some extent to cooperate with people

which you maybe not even like we have to

maybe not even know like the Germans and

the Greeks and some suddenly have those

problems of inequality this is a factual

thing and this factual thing has very

ambivalent consequences I would say

there's a to take to take to take German

terms there's a Hegel scenario least

definite like I said try to say it in

which actually the states and I press

this position very much the states and

and and even the people to some extent

realize that they need to cooperate

cooperate or or fail if they need to

cooperate in order to prevent failing

and this is to some extent even

experiencing clean experiences in Europe

right now but at the same time and maybe

even more powerful there is a cosmic

scenario which tries to use the

emergency which is actually part of the

risk experiences to introduce all kind

of nationalist politics and xenophobia

maybe this is a little bit too dark

white picture because those

two tendencies I said I am a mixed but I

wanted to change everybody is talking

only about the negative side I just

wanted to show that which is capable of

opening up new spaces of attraction what

about the Durkheim scenario the dark I'm

saying is just on on on ongoing

differentiation and integration and a

does I don't think it fits to this

situation because actually by as I said

by just doing more majority being more

modern making more functional

differentiation having better technology

having all kind of communication we are

producing a situation in which the

institution's we have so far invented

don't fit to the situation anymore well

let me push you just on that a little

bit how different our way from our

forebears in this relationship to risk

we feel we were unique today must be

different from the past but I mean if

you were living in in a village in

Germany in in the 16th century you could

have been overrun by an invading army

if you'd been living in a village in

France in the 14th century you could

have been wiped out by a plague in 219

when I when did this start

when did the cosmopolitan moment begin

there's a famous Philip Larkin poem that

says intercourse started in 1963 when

did the cosmopolitan moment start well

let me first answer your first question

which actually is one of the main

misunderstandings I would say in

relation to which quiz is actually

related to decision-making it's not a

natural catastrophe at least not as we

see it it's it's a matter it's related

to modernity it's where individuals and

companies and sciences and politics take

decisions and their I have to take the

consequences of their decision and now

we are living in a situation at rest I

try to point out that we are

anticipating catastrophes which we never

experienced in the past

we anticipating a breakdown in the

economic system we are anticipating a

climate change which totally changes our

living conditions we are anticipating

all this and this is actually changing

our institution basically I am not sure

what the future is going to be I am Not

sure the future future is something

which we do not know but this kind of

anticipation of catastrophe induces

political action and mobilizes people

beyond borders and on all kind of

differences and this is a cosmopolitan

moment the cosmopolitan moment is maybe

related to to climate change discussions

to 9/11 you know even in 9/11 if you

remember even the French and newspaper

the mount titled we are all Americans

you know even the French paper so I

think those are moments where we

suddenly realize we are confronted with

with potential catastrophes which unite

us to some extent or need new kind of

actions questions in the audience out

there sir could you get them thank you

hi I'm Jeremy from Australia I'm

interested in whether the cosmopolitan

moment could be applied not just to

nation-states

but also potentially to companies

whether having risk isolated in one

company is perhaps unrealistic and it

might spill out over across entire

industries which decides it's possible

to make that extrapolation of the

framework yeah that's an interesting

question I'm not specialised in those

issues but I think global companies we

actually do understand an advantage

situation as looking at their own

internal business as a former point of

view

that they need the globe to understand

what is going on internally that they

have to react to I don't know 80

different cultures and nations and have

to somehow produce this kind of of

Cosmopolitan moment actually a part of

this process and if you again I have to

excuse I'm maybe pass innate in in

trying to find a positive point of view

as well I think they experience that

relating and learning to relate to two

different cultures and different

mixtures is not an obstacle but ism is a

very productive force and it is a

necessity on the one side and it is a

very productive force for all kind of

problems you are confronted with there

is another question sir

hello my name is Martin Sylar from

Austria

professor Peck is a sociologist maybe

you could comment on a phenomenon which

I think can be perceived in our society

at one hand you know professional life

we try to assess risks we try to prevent

risks we try to mitigate risks we try to

predict risks and so on on the other

hand I think in our private lives many

people are actually looking for risks

look at for instance people like me who

are engaging in extreme sports people

riding motorcycles people investing in

the stock market is this a phenomenon

which is maybe related to the fact that

we need a certain sense of having risks

maybe because life would be too boring

without it what is the view of a

sociologist in that well I'm not quite

sure if I really got the point of your

question first of all I think indeed

with is the adventure risk is something

which is thrilling risk is about the

future which can be changed which is

dependent on on on our own action or

knowledge or or courage I think this is

actually what modernity is in principle

about taking those kind of risks but as

I try to to argue and of course there

this is still an attitude in sports in

in many ways of well getting the thrill

a lot of out of this kind of experiences

but in in relation to this source a

logical point of view first of all I

would say at least well there are many

sociologists that I'm talking about by

sociology but I would say this it's not

only my sociology we are not so much

interested in constructing models how

industries or manage

and can cope with risk I think this is

quite often admire those people who are

able to do this because my at least I

would be I would I would think that if

you are a scientist you have to know

about the uncertainties of of those

models as you don't I cannot you just

have to tell everybody those are just

mixtures of uncertainties and I don't

know how whatever

mathematics I put in there it is still

manufactured uncertainties but the

sociological point of view is mainly to

show that in relation to the

institutionalized forms of controlling

risk I give you the example of of

private insurance as one of the main

issues in relation to those

institutionalized resources or

probability calculus we are living in a

world where those principles don't

function anymore if you if you want a

definition of word with society it is a

society which acts in in the main issue

in the main issues of of modernity be on

private insurance take atomic plants as

an example they are state insured but

they're not very good state entry or

either so actually it is beyond all the

means of of control which we have so far

institutionalized and I think this is a

more structural picture which

sociologists paint trying to understand

the dynamics of legitimation and

transformation which is actually induced

by those processes in which we have

institutionalized forms of calculation

of uncertainty which for most of the

people evidently don't fit to the

problems we are producing I think we

have time for one more question or

anyone over on this side everyone okay

right behind you thank you

to the last question just wondering if

if there's a way that you could frame

the world risk society in terms of ways

that we could use it in our lives or in

our businesses once we leave this room I

didn't understand it

do you have any practical advice for the

implications of world risk Society for

as I said this is actually not the case

I'm I'm talking about I would like to

give in a practical advice I would say

why don't you know one of the basic

experiences actually which we see in

history in relation to itself produce

uncertainty by while modernity is the

insurance principle and the insurance

principle is actually a huge success

huge invention in modernity and I

wondering why nobody really talks about

introducing attunes into banking system

finance system private insurance just

not state insurance as we have it now

where suddenly the state has to get in

but introduce the prints do the same

thing as needed for a motorcar if you

want to drive a motor car without

private insurance you're going to be a

criminal

if you drive a a banking system and a

financial system without private

insurance you're going to be a criminal

if you change this would be I think one

interesting change which really could on

the one hand being very small on the

other on the other hand have huge

implications we could have a long

discussion of credit default swaps thank

you so much professor beck very

illuminating thanks for joining us in

San Galan thank

you