Risk-reflexive determinants of adaptation under threats: An empirical study

The article considers the specifics and role of risk reflections in the adaptation to new threats and dangers in the contemporary realities. The authors argue that traditional risk-analysis strategies partially reflect the qualitative changes in the impact of the perception of threats by risk consumers, risk producers, risk beneficiaries and risk outsiders on their behavior. The authors emphasize the importance of analyzing the ‘dominant narrative’ of risks for assessing their social acceptability/ unacceptability for various interest groups. The initial methodological provisions of the article are the distinction between “positive and negative privilege” proposed by M. Weber, theoretical and practical explications of the contemporary concepts of choosing reflexive strategies for adapting to threats as a criterion for success or failure in life, and promising strategies for the formation of a positive or negative ‘risk’ identity. The empirical section of the article presents the results of the applied research conducted by the authors on the equipment of the Resource Center of the Science Park of the Saint Petersburg State University “Sociological and Internet Studies” (all-Russian telephone survey and focus groups). The authors conducted qualitative analysis to identify factors affecting the attitudes towards main threats and their influence on the ability to control and prevent risks and on the processes of adaptation and self-preservation. The article stresses the importance of P. Sztompka research program of trust as a means of reducing uncertainty and neutralizing risks (grounds for classifying reflexive strategies for avoiding uncertainty, influence of individual social-demographic characteristics of risk consumers on their choice). The analysis of the empirical data showed that the spread of one or another model of behavior in the risk society is a mobilization resource for strengthening political positions. Therefore, ‘failures’ in risk management determine a special type of social stratification - relationship of risk beneficiaries and risk outsiders, who have specific interests, opportunities and limitations of their adaptation strategies in a situation of threat.