Living in the Age of Risk

Socio-economy & New Tech

Peter Burgess

Professor of Philosophy and AXA Chair in the Geopolitics of Risk

Cyber-attacks, terrorism, pandemics... it seems as though the world is more dangerous than ever. But is the age of risk we are living an age of new dangers, or an age of new fears about dangers? In this masterclass, philosopher Peter Burgess explores the notion of risk, how it is becoming so prevalent in our societies and yet, how we can live with it and embrace uncertainty.

What you will learn

How risk perceptions evolved over time
What is the risk landscape we are living in today
Why the security measures we're taking often end up making us more insecure
How to live with the unknown and build societal resilience

28mn | Video

The masterclass in 3 main chapters

Chapter 1

From insecurity to risk

09:47 | Video

1.1 The evolution of insecurity and the birth of risk
After the Cold War, security became less a question of borders, and more a question of society.

1.2 Living with danger
There is no risk-free society. If there were no risk, there would be no freedom.

Chapter 2

The politics of risk

08:33 | Video

2.1 Security, technology and politics
The security measures we put in place to protect us often end up making us more insecure. Especially when we focus too much on technological measures.

2.2 Governing through risk
We are increasingly governed by what we do not know, by uncertainty, and therefore by imagination.

Chapter 3

Living with uncertainty

09:01 | Video

3.1 Values and the culture of risk
Risk is not the same as danger. It reflects our experience of the past and our aspirations for the future. It is cultural.

3.2 Building societal resilience
How to develop a society of trust and solidarity in the presence of uncertainty, even when uncertainty can be the most powerful cause of societal division.