The Silence of Words and Political Dynamics in the World Risk Society

Abstract

The notion of the "world risk society" is used to reconceptualize the notions of war, terror, economic globalization, neoliberalism, state, & sovereignty. An overview of world risk society is presented, emphasizing differences in the notions of risk circulating within pre-modern & modern societies & highlighting the various emergencies that potentially threaten global society, eg, ecological disasters. Attention is subsequently dedicated to explaining how the concept of world risk society has altered contemporary understandings of the aforementioned terms; for instance, it is stressed that terrorism is principally comprehended as an international phenomenon & that war has become increasingly individualized to the extent that groups of people, not entire states, are capable of waging war against entire nations. Three recommendations for overcoming the problems engendered by the novel manifestations of war & terrorism, globalization & neoliberalism, & state & sovereignty are suggested: establishing an international legal framework to tighten the alliance against terrorism; engaging Islamic & marginalized cultures in dialogue to ascertain the effects of globalization on these cultures; & promoting the transformation of existing nation-states into open world multinational states. J. W. Parker