The UK 'at Risk'

This book presents a case study of the proliferation of at risk-language in The Times news coverage from 1785 to 2009, illuminating the changing social experience of risk.

Zinn presents an historical examination of the forces which have shaped the language of risk over time, and considers how linguistic developments in recent decades are underpinned by issues such as cultural and structural transformations, the management of infectious and chronic diseases and climate change. He also explores changes in the public sphere, including the production of the news.

Based on an interdisciplinary research project which combines linguistic research tools with sociological analysis of the social contexts, the book contributes to a better understanding of how 'at risk' has become a defining feature of the UK in recent decades, and one which permeates all kinds of social domains. This research will be a point of reference for students and scholars engaging with risk studies from various disciplines including sociology, media studies, history and socio-linguistics.

Takes the field significantly further in carefully mapping the changes over time and providing interesting interpretations of the findings and scope for further scholarship Offers an innovative contribution to the understanding of how awareness, concern and conflict about risks have developed over time in line with evolving social and cultural conditions Follows an unexpected turn in the debate to give more weight to the actual linguistic use of the concept of "risk"

Autorentext
Jens O. Zinn is Associate Professor in Sociology at the University of Melbourne, Australia and Guest Professor at the Risk and Crisis Research Centre at Mid Sweden University, Sweden.

Klappentext

This book presents a case study of the proliferation of at risk-language in The Times news coverage from 1785 to 2009, illuminating the changing social experience of risk. Zinn presents an historical examination of the forces which have shaped the language of risk over time, and considers how linguistic developments in recent decades are underpinned by issues such as cultural and structural transformations, the management of infectious and chronic diseases and climate change. He also explores changes in the public sphere, including the production of the news. Based on an interdisciplinary research project which combines linguistic research tools with sociological analysis of the social contexts, the book contributes to a better understanding of how 'at risk' has become a defining feature of the UK in recent decades, and one which permeates all kinds of social domains. This research will be a point of reference for students and scholars engaging with risk studies from various disciplines including sociology, media studies, history and socio-linguistics.

Inhalt

1. Introduction.- 2. Understanding Social and Linguistic Change.- 3. At Risk-Constructs as Research Object: Research Design and Methods.- 4.Risk in The Times - 1950s to 2000s.- 5. People and Valued Objects at Risk in The Times - 1780s to 2000s.- 6. From Substantial Risk to Social Relations and Rhetoric.- 7. Institutional Strategies and a New Quality.- 8. Changes in News Production and Linguistic Change.- 9. Social Forces and the Proliferation of at Risk-Language.