Ravetz in the foreword to Independent Thinking in an Uncertain World, A Mind of One’s Own talks about ‘post-normal science’, ‘box-ticking culture’ and the ‘poverty of normal science’. He sets the scene for a conversation about the limits of the myth of objectivity and tackling some of the … [Read more...] about Zero as Morally Wicked
Independent Thinking in an Uncertain World, A Mind of One’s Own
This is the title of a book recently released on Earthscan Press (2019) coming out of ANU lead by Valerie Brown and John Harris. One of our SPoR associates Craig Ashhurst has a chapter in the book on ‘Transcoherence, labels and wicked problems’. Craig has just completed his PhD at ANU in the … [Read more...] about Independent Thinking in an Uncertain World, A Mind of One’s Own
Free Two Chapter Download and Book Competition
Free Two Chapter Download - The Social Psychology of Risk Handbook, i-thou Scroll down for a chance to win a copy of the whole book… For those wanting to know more about the Social Psychology of Risk (SPoR) Dr Long has released a free download of the first two chapters of his latest book, … [Read more...] about Free Two Chapter Download and Book Competition
Emotions are not the Adversary
There are many issues in which Safety takes no interest. Just look at safety conferences, journals and publications in risk and safety and you will find precious little about: ethics, politics, holistic ergonomics, consciousness, personhood, professionalization and critical thinking to name … [Read more...] about Emotions are not the Adversary
The Perils of Excessive Safety Management Systems
In a recent case of unfair dismissal in the Fair Work Commission (FWC 5004:2019 under commissioner Williams Perth 24 July 2019) we learn how creating onerous bureaucracy creates its own demons. The case of Wilson vs Boart Longyear demonstrates how the creation of onerous safety management … [Read more...] about The Perils of Excessive Safety Management Systems
International Intensive SpoR Workshops August 2019
The Centre for Leadership and Learning in Risk (CLLR) held the first International Canberra-based workshops in August 2019. Participants flew in from Austria, Sweden and Canada as well as across Australia for this unique suite of workshops in the Social Psychology of Risk (SPoR). CLLR is the … [Read more...] about International Intensive SpoR Workshops August 2019
Tackling the Reality of Harm
‘Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat food from it all the days of your life’. Genesis 3:17 How Safety defines hurt or harm is a huge issue for the industry. The monster of injury statistics now defined as safety has created a circus of linguistic … [Read more...] about Tackling the Reality of Harm
The Social Construction of Mental Health
The Social Construction of Mental Health As Safety starts to move into an interest in mental health it brings with it its baggage of individualism, cognitvism and behaviourism. It is through this worldview that it understands such things as: illness, suffering and harm, resilience, psychological … [Read more...] about The Social Construction of Mental Health
The Will To Be and Do
One of many things Freud and Jung split over was the nature of psychic energy. We might call this ‘will’, ‘desire, ‘motivation’ or ‘decision’. Jung called psychic energy ‘libido’, Freud attributed only sexual drive to psychic energy and this is where they parted ways. Both agreed … [Read more...] about The Will To Be and Do
The Compliance Conundrum
The challenge of compliance is also a challenge to critical thinking, this is one of the many paradoxes in risk and safety. When we comply or an organization seeks compliance this is all well and good only while things stay the same. When things change and adaptability is required to keep … [Read more...] about The Compliance Conundrum