Discourses of Risk: The construction of responsibility and blame

This book is about discourse, risk, and the management of blame. It examines two case studies to explore how risks are accounted for, and responsibility apportioned. This is done by adopting the epistemological and methodological principles of discourse analysis, developing the insights from discursive psychology. This book discusses four themes which are apparent in discourses about risk: risks do not ‘just happen''; the frequency, seriousness and very existence of a risk is highly contested; risks can be predicted, managed and prevented; and responsibility and blame for risks can be attributed. The research in this book examines the discursive features used to construct particular versions of these themes, including the rhetoric, terminology, and management of stake adopted. Throughout the book, the study of the research topic, and the value and challenges of applying discourse analytic methods, are reflexively considered. This book is therefore a substantive contribution to understanding the constructions of risks through discourse; and it is also a contribution to the application of discourse analysis as a theory and method.