Anthropology 319 - Risk

People in all societies face uncertainty. Yet we have taken fear of the unknown and calculations of risk to a new level. Dangers appear to confront us at every turn -- in the form of tainted food, global warming, epidemics, market collapses, and accidents at work and on roads. Terrorist attacks in New York and Tokyo, and crime in Sao Paulo, have led to the increased control of public spaces in these cities. Public spaces have been the source of both excitement and anxiety, but cultures of risk have emphasized their dangers. This course will explore some of the implications of cultures of risk.

Prereq: 8 credits in Anthropology