Approaches to contemporary risk society: a reflection on Haitian society

Abstract

Reflections about “risk society” theory in the contemporary world foresee personal and institutional changes. Adjustments in global production and consumption patterns are conditions for the prevention of various risks to which the population is increasingly susceptible. This article seeks to analyze the potential and limitations of the contemporary debate about risks (especially health-related) when applied to the context of Haitian society. We examine the peculiarities of the debate surrounding the correlations ‘genetic predisposition-health’ and ‘lifestyle-health’ – an integral part of the discussion about health risks in developed societies – in contrast to socioeconomic aspects, which are associated to the concept of risk in the context of an extremely vulnerable society. Indeed, risk factors cannot be separated from the socioeconomic and cultural contexts and the notion of risk in this society has a different meaning than in developed societies, being eminently emergent and pragmatic.