Professor Ulrich Beck of the University of Munich and the London School of Economics and Political Science, known for his work on globalization and for his classic work on the ‘risk society’ gave a seminar in Oslo 12 May. The seminar was attended by 230 people, and was organized by PRIO in collaboration with the Goethe Institute, Oslo.Registration: seminar@prio.no
In this seminar Beck will discuss the World Risk Society, and the consequences for international politics. Ulrich Beck’s work focuses on globalization and social change, as well as their consequences for how we live (for example, individualization and social inequality). His name is closely linked to the concept of the ‘risk society’, which he introduced twenty years ago. He is also responsible for launching the concepts of the ‘elevator effect’ and the ‘two Moderns’.
Ulrich Beck (b. 1944) is Professor of Sociology at the University of Munich and the London School of Economics and Political Science. He studied law in Freiburg, then sociology, philosophy, psychology and political science in Munich, where he also qualified for his doctorate in sociology in 1979. In 2005, Professor Ulrich Beck was awarded the Schader Prize: the most prestigious award within the social sciences in Germany. The Schader Foundation awards the prize to social scientists who, on account of their pioneering scientific work and exemplary dedication in dialogue with practice, have made a contribution to the solving of social problems. This is particularly fitting for the work of Ulrich Beck. In addition to his classic work on the risk society, Risikogesellschaft (1986), recent books include: * Der kosmopolitische Blick oder: Krieg ist Frieden (2004) * Kosmopolitisches Europa (2004). * Politik der Globalisierung (1998) * Was ist Globalisierung? (1997) Several of Ulrich Beck’s books have been published in Norwegian by Abstrakt Forlag. Ulrich Beck recently published an article entitled ‘War Is Peace: On Post-National War’ in the March 2005 issue of the journal Security Dialogue, which is edited at PRIO by J. Peter Burgess.
