Moving Targets: Risk, Security, and the Social in Twentieth-Century Europe

摘要: According to the sociologists Ulrich Beck and Anthony Giddens, modern societies have become increasingly preoccupied with future safety mobilized themselves in order manage systematically what they perceived as “risks” (Beck 1992 ; Giddens 1991 ). This special section investigates how conceptions of risk evolved Europe over course twentieth century by focusing on creation evolution social policy. The language has, past twenty years, a matter conversations about policy (Kemshall 2002 We seek trace “risk” has served heuristic tool for understanding treating “social problems.” A key aim this collection is explore character (in broadest sense) an instrument (or technology) that both constructs its own objects consequences generates new process (Lupton 2004 : 33). In way, typifies paradox security: attempting literally making one “carefree,” or sē (without) curitās (care), acts (social) security spur insecurities remains unprotected (Hamilton 2013 3–5, 25–26). Against semantic philological context, we suggest poses inherent dilemma: aiming stabilize improve existing order, it also agent change. characteristic makes particularly valuable studies allow comparisons across time, place, types political regime. By examining range cases from century, seeks pose questions role state; ideas security; “social” various forms.