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The Intractable Citizen and the Single-Minded Risk Expert – Mechanisms Causing the Risk Regulation Reflex Pointed Out in the Dutch Risk and Responsibility Programme

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2017

Ira Helsloot  and
Arjen Schmidt
Ira Helsloot
Affiliation:
Radboud University Nijmegen,
Arjen Schmidt
Affiliation:
Radboud University Nijmegen,
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Abstract

Safety regulations are too often disproportional in the sense that their costs outweigh the benefits. Although this is well known, years of trying to reduce safety related regulatory pressure has not resulted in much success. Two important causes for this have not received much attention up to now. One of these is a faulty perception of how the general public regards risk. We argue that the intractable citizen's behaviour needs better understanding. The second cause is the single-mindedness of risk experts which calls for specific instruments to be harnessed.

Type
Research Article
Information
European Journal of Risk Regulation , Volume 3 , Issue 3 , September 2012 , pp. 305 - 312
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2012

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References

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