Global dynamics of socio-environmental crisis: dangers on the way to a sustainable future

Result code in IS VaVaI

<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F67985955%3A_____%2F19%3A00507647" target="_blank" >RIV/67985955:_____/19:00507647 - isvavai.cz</a>

Result on the web

<a href="http://revistaseletronicas.pucrs.br/ojs/index.php/civitas/article/view/31969" target="_blank" >http://revistaseletronicas.pucrs.br/ojs/index.php/civitas/article/view/31969</a>

DOI - Digital Object Identifier

<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.15448/1984-7289.2019.2.31969" target="_blank" >10.15448/1984-7289.2019.2.31969</a>

Result language

angličtina

Original language name

Global dynamics of socio-environmental crisis: dangers on the way to a sustainable future

Original language description

The article analyses the problem that we live in socio-environmental crisis on the planetary scale. Global dangers are multiplicated and develop in mutual interactions. The dynamics of globalization have brought about a of new economy operating globally across geographical, economic and political and social borders, but at the same time influencing social, economic and political conditions within nation-states and in the spaces between them. From a macro-societal point of view, we can operationalize the complex global social relationships as two parallel social worlds: societies organized within nation-state organizations, and global social spaces and networks created by the actions of transnational actors. These social worlds are in mutual interaction in a complex web of relationships, dependencies and interdependencies, mutually transforming and exchanging. The article discusses new historical moment of the current world. This is symbolized by question if the talk of risks is enough in a moment? When we talk of the destructive consequences of many risks, we tend to mean the decision-making process. Two characteristics of global risks and threats are important here: first, through its development, modern civilization has brought about too many negative consequences where risks have global, transnational consequences. Secondly, these manufactured risks are collective and involuntary in their effects. The collectivity of risks means they are institutionalized and miscalculated as externalities (economic externality is a product of modern development and the capitalist rationality calculus). Modern risks are not the outcome of individual autonomous decisions, but rather of collective conflictual relationships with destructive consequences. Normative assumptions of profit are set against the prioritization of future generations’ security and quality of life. The problem is not knowledge or science as such, but the decisions involved which cause the conflict, and the political context of social-power relationships. One of the definitions of global risk made by a risk report to the World Economic Forum this year reads as follows: “global risk is an uncertain event or condition that, if it occurs, can cause significant negative impact for several countries or industries within the next ten years”. The paper shows rather that global risks should be seen not only as things, but rather as social conflicts of power. Risks as things are manifested as an alien force, as an externality paid by those who have no power to make or control the decisions producing risks. But risks are also traded as a commodity, as a future opportunity for some, who have access to the key decisions about risk-taking and who would profit from it. Risk as a social conflict relationship stems from unequal interaction between those who decide voluntarily on an action with dangerous consequences, and those who are influenced with and confronted involuntarily with the dangers. The first group of actors, which is a minority, aims for profit, the second group which is the majority, bears the burden of risk-negative-destructive consequences. Yet more catastrophic outcomes can lead to global dangers for all. Environmental as well as other, socially destructive, consequences are often long-term cumulative processes and pose risks and dangers for future generations. It is important to realize the political nature of contemporary global risks and conflicts – notably, that basic institutional systems are not able to manage the problems and risks that they help to produce. Institutions are unable to support actual redirection towards sustainable development, rather, they continue to support a routine based on obsolete and dangerous ideas of industrial and economic growth goals. The vested interests of the power elite win by relying on knowledge and understanding of the global interdependent complex of risky consequences. Today we face truly a global crisis in terms of the magnitude and reach, the extent of social destruction and environmental devastation, and the scale of the means of violence.

Czech name

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Czech description

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Type

J_SC - Article in a specialist periodical, which is included in the SCOPUS database

CEP classification

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OECD FORD branch

60301 - Philosophy, History and Philosophy of science and technology

Project

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Continuities

I - Institucionalni podpora na dlouhodoby koncepcni rozvoj vyzkumne organizace

Publication year

2019

Confidentiality

S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů

Name of the periodical

Civitas - Revista de Ciências Sociais

ISSN

1519-6089

e-ISSN

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Volume of the periodical

19

Issue of the periodical within the volume

2

Country of publishing house

BR - BRAZIL

Number of pages

22

Pages from-to

315-336

UT code for WoS article

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EID of the result in the Scopus database

2-s2.0-85071559460