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Part of
Risk Discourse and Responsibility
Edited by Annelie Ädel and Jan-Ola Östman
[Pragmatics & Beyond New Series 336] 2023
► pp. 2–37

Chapter 1
From risk and responsibility to risk discourse

ORCID logo | Dalarna University, Sweden
ORCID logo | University of Helsinki, Finland
ORCID logo | Stockholm University, Sweden
Risk communication is widely researched in the social sciences, but in linguistics the study of how risk is communicated has not yet formed a coherent field of its own. In this chapter, we approach risk from a discourse perspective, aiming to promote the establishment of risk discourse as a field of study with its own characteristics. We approach the question “What is “risk”?” through a discourse-linguistic analysis that crucially involves the concept of responsibility. We show that there is a body of previous research in linguistics that has dealt with some aspect of risk, but typically without foregrounding risk or using risk as an analytical tool. We show how this state of affairs also applies to responsibility. We argue that an understanding of discourse about risk and risk scenarios needs to be informed by an understanding of the concept of responsibility. The theoretical point of this chapter is therefore to conceive of and establish this type of responsibility-embedded Risk Discourse. Throughout the chapter, we discuss ways in which risk and responsibility can serve as analytical tools in risk discourse studies. This is illustrated by reference not only to previous research, but also to the chapters included in the current volume.
Keywords: risk discourse, risk, responsibility, theorising risk, communicating risk
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Defining ‘risk’ and ‘responsibility’
    • 2.1What is ‘risk’?
    • 2.2What is ‘responsibility’?
    • 2.3Linking risk and responsibility
  • 3.What the study of risk as discourse entails
  • 4.Previous work on risk from the perspective of three definitional scopes
    • 4.1Narrow scope: Risk as characterizing a discourse type
    • 4.2Broad scope: Risk as topic
    • 4.3Extended scope: Discourse-framing something as risk
  • 5.On responsibility
  • 6.A matrix for risk discourse
  • 7.Risk and responsibility in the volume chapters
  • 8.Concluding words and implications
  • Notes
  • References
Published online: 24 July 2023
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/pbns.336.01ade
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