Abstract Book of the 2nd World Conference on Security Studies
Year: 2025
[PDF]
The Society of Uncertainty: Navigating Risk and Insecurity
Dr. Ilaria Iannuzzi
ABSTRACT:
This paper explores the society of uncertainty as a context marked by widespread risks, multiple forms of insecurity, and a radical transformation of the relationship between individuals, institutions, and collective protections. Drawing on the works of scholars such as Richard Sennett, Ulrich Beck, Zygmunt Bauman, and Robert Castel, it highlights the growing difficulty individuals face in evaluating their choices, safeguarding themselves, and projecting into the future. Contemporary uncertainty is not only objective but deeply tied to perception and value judgments, often more influential than factual data. In this scenario, the demand for security increases, legitimizing securitarian policies that may paradoxically intensify feelings of insecurity. The relationship between security and freedom proves to be ambivalent and paradoxical: the pursuit of protection can generate new vulnerabilities. The paper proposes several strategies to reduce the collective sense of insecurity, including strengthening institutional trust, promoting social cohesion, improving rational risk communication, and enhancing democratic participation. Particular attention is given to the need for more stable economic and social models capable of offering collective safety nets. In summary, reducing uncertainty does not mean eliminating risk, but rather redistributing it in a fair and sustainable way, thereby restoring to individuals a greater sense of control over their future.
Keywords: Perception, Risk, Security, Social protection, Uncertainty