Two dimensions of family risk in East Asia: Variations and contextualization

Abstract

This paper investigates family risks from the perspective of risk society. Conceptualdistinction is made between the first modern and the second modern type of family risk aswell as between its objective and subjective dimensions. The major finding in terms ofvariation of family risks is that the second-modern type of risks is more conspicuous thanthe first-modern one in Seoul and Tokyo whereas the reverse is the case in Beijing. Yet thesetwo types of risk coexist in all three cities. The contextualized relationship between theobjective and subjective dimensions shows the tendency that the risk perception moves upor down in a way reflecting the official statistics of family risks. We argue that this patternof contextualization can be explained by social construction of risks.