AK2026 Risk, Media and Controversies 7.5 credits

This course is aimed at giving the student insights into the production and communication of risks through mass media. Many case studies will be used, encouraging discussion and reflection through which the student will be able to foresee and better understand risk developments in the student's own field as well as in society at large. 

After completed course, the student will be able to

- identify and describe the dominating theories of risk perception, risk communication, and risk assessment, and be able to describe the role of mass media in risk contexts,

- give examples of different ways of performing risk assessments and their consequences to society,

- apply a variety of strategies for risk management and make refelctions on their strengths and weaknesses,

- analyze and deconstruct a number of cases using theories taught in the course,

- predict and make assumptions on future developments in order to foresee risk developments in the student's own field as well as in society at large.

120 ECTS (university credits) and documented proficiency in English corresponding to English B from Swedish gymnasium.

None.

Preliminär lista:

• Beck, U (1992) Risk society: towards a new modernity, Sage Publications.
• Flynn, Slovic, Kunreuther (2001) Risk, Media and Stigma: Understanding public challenges to modern science and technology, Earthscan.
• Oreskes, N & Conway, E (2010) Merchants of doubt: how a handful of scientists obscured the truth on issues from tobacco smoke to global warming, Bloomsbury Publishing.

If the course is discontinued, students may request to be examined during the following two academic years.

• PRO1 - Case Presentation, Written and Oral, 5.0 credits, grading scale: A, B, C, D, E, FX, F
• SEM1 - Seminars, 2.5 credits, grading scale: P, F

Based on recommendation from KTH’s coordinator for disabilities, the examiner will decide how to adapt an examination for students with documented disability.

The examiner may apply another examination format when re-examining individual students.

The examination consists of one written report (8-10 pages), an oral presentation and sufficient attendance and active participation at lectures and seminars.

This syllabus is valid until 2015-01-19. No teaching is offered after that date. Students that have been admitted to the course according to this or the preceding syllabus have the right to sit for examination according to this syllabus even after that date, but no longer than until 2015-06-13.

Attendance, active participation, oral presentation, and written report.

Sven Ove Hansson

• All members of a group are responsible for the group's work.
• In any assessment, every student shall honestly disclose any help received and sources used.
• In an oral assessment, every student shall be able to present and answer questions about the entire assignment and solution.