Oil Spill Science and Technology, 2nd Edition

1.3. Social Concepts and Risk

Research by environmental sociologists and geographers provides perspectives that contrast with natural scientists and engineers about the relationships of hazards, risk, and disasters to society in general as well as to stakeholder groups, i.e., policy makers, decision makers, and those affected by the policies, decisions, and the consequences of hazards and disasters. These perspectives are described briefly to explain how members of the public perceive oil spills, industry, governmental authorities and the experts who are relied upon to help manage risks. Social concepts also provide an important research basis for understanding how trust and credibility influence risk perceptions and ways in which oil spill risk ...