Risk, health and social research: Lessons from the ESRC programme on Risk and Human Behaviour

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Abstract
This exercise in ‘the sociology of social research’ considers the programme of studies on Risk and Human Behaviour set up by the British Economic and Social Research Council in 1993. It is not intended to be an evaluation of that programme: its purpose is, firstly, to speculate on how a publicly funded programme on risk came about, and what the place of health was in the definitions of risk which were used. Secondly, a superficial analysis of all the 336 preliminary project proposals submitted for funding to the programme is used to ask how the research community in general saw the field of ‘risk and human behaviour.’ What can this tell us about who it is that is perceived as taking risks and how important health is among the areas of human life or human behaviours which are defined as risky? Lastly, some observations are offered on the overall contribution of the programme, the way in which the concept of health risks is congruent (or not) with other meanings of risk, and the insights which the programme might offer for theory and policy.