Terrorism, unemployment and environmental catastrophes dominate the news agenda around the world. In contrast to this public debate, most post-industrial societies are experiencing economic growth, a considerable level of welfare and security, and a long-lasting period of peace in their home territories. So why is the discussion in these societies revolving around risks and danger? The German sociologist Ulrich Beck attributes this to a far-reaching change which he calls "reflexive modernization," where unintended and unforeseen side-effects of modern life backfire on modernity, questioning the very basis of its definition. In an exclusive interview, Ulrich Beck talks about how this affects the way we live and perceive reality—and he discusses the central role of journalism and media in the process of reflexive modernization.
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Wimmer et al. (2006) studied this question.
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