Arsenic and plague: A cross-cultural perspective on the social amplification and attenuation of risk (India)

The relationship between a risk event and its ultimate impact is often perplexing. To address this challenge in 1988 a conceptual model---social amplification of risk---was proposed. In examining the applicability of the social amplification of risk model in India two factors---media coverage and organizational responses---were investigated. The risk events chosen are: the 1994 episode of pneumonic plague in Surat and arsenic pollution of groundwater from 1979 to 1996 in the state of West Bengal, involving social amplification and attenuation respectively. This study employed qualitative analysis and information obtained from sources such as public documents, investigation reports, content analysis of newspapers articles, and a review of literature. The risk signals approach is an alternative to cultural and psychometric approaches and helpful in discerning messages in media reports of the risk events. 22 images of disaster, for example, were employed to convey messages of risk in the amplification case. Further, these images of disaster were employed repeatedly in a short time span thereby reinforcing the message. A different and complex pattern of blaming also was apparent in the two cases. Similarly, the media noted in considerable detail the problems of hazard management in the two cases, but seldom discussed issues of risk management, such as long-term consequences, alternatives to individuals, households, and communities, or actual risk from the risk event.; Hazard management organizations on the other hand failed to fulfill their responsibilities due to a combination of circumstances, including a complex organizational structure due to decentralization and professionalization of the tasks, and poor communication and weak coordination among the hazard management organizations. Consequently in the arsenic case injuries and deaths increased through the entire 18 years investigated.; The results of this work indicate that interactions of multiple factors provide better explanation and understanding of societal concern to risk events. The findings of this work not only advance application of the model to the settings of India, but also assist in developing a cross-cultural perspective on social amplification and attenuation of risk.