A History of Risk Science: Concepts and Principles of Risk Analysis

Risk has been handled as long as there have been humans on Earth. However, the risk field is a young discipline; systematic attempts to access and handle risk – explicitly conceptualizing and expressing risk – in society are a recent endeavour. This book presents a history of risk science and risk analysis highlighting concepts and principles for understanding, assessing, communicating, managing and governing risk.

The author presents and discusses key contributions to risk science using a historical lens and from the perspective of a risk scientist. The book strengthens our understanding of what risk science is and how it has evolved by exploring fundamental topics such as risk characterization, risk perception, risk communication, risk handling and decision-making and concludes with reflection on the future of risk science, and in particular what we can learn from its history.

A History of Risk Science will be essential reading for risk researchers and graduate students as well as scholars from associated fields applying risk-related analysis to their work.

Terje Aven has been a professor in risk science at the University of Stavanger, Norway since 1992. Previously he was also a professor (adjunct) in risk analysis at the University of Oslo and the Norwegian University of Science and Technology. He has many years of experience as a risk analyst in industry and as a consultant. He is the author of many books and papers in the field, covering both fundamental issues and practical risk analysis methods. He has led several large research programmes in the risk area, with strong international participation. He has developed many master’s programmes in the field and has lectured on many courses in risk analysis and risk management. Aven is Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Risk and Reliability, and Area Editor of Risk analysis in Policy. He has served as President of the international Society for Risk Analysis (SRA) and Chairman of the European Safety and Reliability Association (ESRA) (2014– 2018).