Fear and Conflicts. Admitting their Existence as a First Step in order to Rule them

Abstract

Sociology, being the science of  social relations, has always been reluctant to enphasize conflicts. This may be politically a prudent stance but may also lead to undestimate the relevance and/or seriousness of conflict as a source of both social change and/or crisis. In La sicurezza e la sua ombra the Author argues that in order to curb a perception and the opportunistic use of it by some actors (moral entrepreneurs, mass media etc.) we have to identify the sources not to blame the effects. As to the sources it is crucial to distinguish among danger (unintentional, caused by natural agents e.g. an earthquake); risk  (intentional with positive purposes, e.g. a power plant); threat  (intentional with negative purposes, e.g. a military or terroristic attack). The distinction is not only analytical but implies paramount differences in policy choices.