Risk and Sociological Research in Korea and Japan

Abstract

This special issue includes seven papers dealing with diverse social risks in Korea and Japan. In contemporary society risk became a keyword that reveals the nature of modernity each society has achieved. For example, the recent histories of the two countries cannot be written without describing catastrophic disasters such as the Hebei Spirit Oil Spill in Taean and the Daiichi Nuclear Accident in Fukushima. Nor is it possible to discuss the relevance of social policy without mentioning the growing burden of aging populations. Diverse risks such as natural and human disasters and environmental, economic and social risks became keywords for social scientists as well as terms used in everyday dialogue in both countries.