Risk Visibility:A Study of Mediated Governance of Public Cognitive Uncertainty
In contemporary liquid societies,the dynamic and intricate nature of our world underscores the pervasive presence of uncertainty.Despite the abundance of studies on this topic,there remains a notable gap in research examining the evolution of uncertainty in public perceptions and risk assessment over extended periods following events.Furthermore,there's a dearth of research integrating the concept of"risk visibility"into the broader exploration of risk culture.In this paper,we undertook a retrospective study of risk events that transpired over a decade ago,employing field research methods.Our findings reveal that despite the passage of more than ten years since these incidents,the local public's cognitive uncertainty regarding pertinent issues has steadily mounted,evolving into a series of cognitive risks within the social fabric.This cognitive risk emerges as a crucial aspect of risk invisibility,contributing to the systemic presence of risk.Simultaneously,the media system is deeply intertwined with the social governance structure,presenting both challenges and novel opportunities for risk management.Mediatized governance offers fresh avenues for addressing the"risk of uncertainty"due to its dynamic,process-oriented,and long-term governance framework.