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Researching Risk and Uncertainty

Methodologies, Methods and Research Strategies

Palgrave Macmillan
  • First book of its kind to present an overview of methods of risk
  • Discusses the specific challenges of risk research and the different various accompanying structural factors and subjective experiences
  • Distinguishes four major influential research methods—observation, interviewing, structural analysis and content analysis

Part of the book series: Critical Studies in Risk and Uncertainty (CRSTRU)

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Table of contents (15 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-xv
  2. Introduction

    • Jens O. Zinn, Anna Olofsson
    Pages 1-28
  3. Visual and Ethnographic Methods

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 29-29
    2. Key Points of Interactive Research: An Ethnographic Approach to Risk

      • Roanne van Voorst, Dorothea Hilhorst
      Pages 53-76
  4. Surveys and Statistical Methods

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 231-231
    2. Quantitative Analysis of Risk Positions: An Exploratory Approach

      • Susanna Öhman, Anna Olofsson
      Pages 265-286

About this book

Understanding and managing risk and uncertainty is a central task in contemporary societies characterised by rapid social, technological and environmental change.

This book presents research approaches used by scholars who all share a passion to gain new insights in how individuals, organisations and societies approach uncertain futures and their potential dangers.

The contributions illustrate the usefulness of particular methods and methodologies for researching risk in order to advance the understanding and management of social, technological and environmental challenges.

With research strategies and approaches from sociology, psychology, history, linguistics, anthropology, and gender studies, Researching Risk and Uncertainty provides guidance and inspiration to students and scholars across a range of disciplines interested in risk, disaster and social crisis.

Editors and Affiliations

  • Risk and Crisis Research Centre, Mid Sweden University, Östersund, Sweden

    Anna Olofsson, Jens O. Zinn

  • School of Social and Political Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia

    Jens O. Zinn

About the editors

Anna Olofsson is Professor of Sociology at Mid Sweden University and the director of the Risk and Crisis Research Centre, Sweden.


Jens O. Zinn is T.R Asworth Associate Professor in Sociology at the University of Melbourne, Australia, Marie Skłodowska-Curie Fellow at the ESRC Centre of Corpus Approaches to Social Science, Lancaster University, UK (2016-2018) and Research Awardee of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation (2015).

Bibliographic Information

  • Book Title: Researching Risk and Uncertainty

  • Book Subtitle: Methodologies, Methods and Research Strategies

  • Editors: Anna Olofsson, Jens O. Zinn

  • Series Title: Critical Studies in Risk and Uncertainty

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-95852-1

  • Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan Cham

  • eBook Packages: Social Sciences, Social Sciences (R0)

  • Copyright Information: The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s) 2019

  • Hardcover ISBN: 978-3-319-95851-4Published: 12 October 2018

  • Softcover ISBN: 978-3-030-07105-9Published: 29 December 2018

  • eBook ISBN: 978-3-319-95852-1Published: 27 September 2018

  • Series ISSN: 2523-7268

  • Series E-ISSN: 2523-7276

  • Edition Number: 1

  • Number of Pages: XV, 384

  • Number of Illustrations: 10 b/w illustrations, 17 illustrations in colour

  • Topics: Methodology of the Social Sciences, Ethnography, Sociolinguistics

Buy it now

Buying options

eBook USD 109.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book USD 139.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book USD 139.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Other ways to access