ABSTRACT
Significantly, the ‘construction of risks’, that is, the translation of uncertainty into calculable probabilities, happens at a varying pace and has varying impacts on the orientation of action depending on the identity of the agent expected to act to prevent or mitigate the potential loss. Although, for example, ecological risks are often denied existence before the damages are actually produced (whereas a manner to prevent those risks would be to slow down the pace of industrial production and consumption (Beck, 2001: 62)), individual genetic risks are, on the contrary, granted an ‘invasive’ existence well before the first symptoms potentially appear – an approach that conveniently shifts to the individual ‘at risk’ much of the responsibility to avoid, prevent or mitigate adverse outcomes.
