Risk Communication & Crisis Management

Full course description

Most scientific research about risk is based on the likelihood that something will happen and the impact what this will have: on humans, animals, the environment or climate for example. Think of a foodborne illness, the development of AI-robots that are smarter then ourselves, or the plastic soup in our oceans. But risk = chance x effect is not the whole message. Risks are rooted in society and are therefore closely connected with the life and especially the values and perceptions of the society-members, on which they base their risk-acceptance.

Scientific risk assessment can be perceived as an equivalent of 'fake' messages about risk issues on the internet or social media. Who can be trusted and who absolutely not, who can do what to take control of the risk. These are all elements of the course 'the strategy of risk communication'. Students will learn about the six building blocks of the strategy, which are rooted in behavioural economics, sociology, risk-ontology and psychology. Together they give insight in that a risk is more than probability/severity, knowledge that is necessary to connect the scientific outcomes to the society you are working for.