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Scribd Launches Readcast, Integrates With Facebook® Social Plugins to Make Reading More Social SAN FRANCISCO, CA--(Marketwire - April 21, 2010) -   f8 Developer Conference -- Scribd, the world's largest social publishing and reading site, launches Scribd Readcast along with Facebook's new social plugins. Readcast is a set of features that enables people to automatically share what they're reading on Scribd with their friends on Facebook and other social sites. The Facebook Like button and Activity Feed are also now part of the Scribd social reading experience. "Scribd is the place where connections form around shared reading interests," said Trip Adler, CEO and co-founder Scribd. "Now, the universe of social reading suddenly opens up to include Twilight fan fiction, investigative reports about Goldman Sachs, Mary Meeker's Web 2.0 presentation, tips for using solar power. This reflects the breadth and depth of what people read on a daily basis, not just what they're reading on news sites." Readcast is a customizable feature that enables people to automatically share what they're reading on Scribd with friends on Facebook and contacts on other social media sites. People can also choose to share Scribd reading events such as scribbles, comments, ratings, downloads, and eventually mobile reading activity, printing and purchases. Visit http://blog.scribd.com for more information about Readcast. Faceboook social plugins integration enables Scribd users to "like" their favorite reading material and to see -- without leaving Scribd.com -- which Scribd books, research, presentations, illustrations and other written works their friends on Facebook friends "like," comment on, and share. "Scribd's integration with our new social plugins allows people to create social connections around written works," said Ethan Beard, director of Facebook Developer Network. "Now, it's easier to connect with friends on Facebook who are reading the same books, researching the same topics or s

The Journal of World Energy Law & Business Advance Access originally published online on March 15, 2010 The Journal of World Energy Law & Business 2010 3(2):140-165; doi:10.1093/jwelb/jwq002 This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Audios Audios All Versions of this Article: 3/2/140    most recent jwq002v2 jwq002v1 Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to My Personal Archive Download to citation manager Request Permissions Citing Articles Scopus Links Citing Articles via CrossRef Google Scholar Articles by Wagner, J. Articles by Armstrong, K. Social Bookmarking          What's this? © The Author 2010. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the AIPN. All rights reserved. Managing environmental and social risks in international oil and gas projects: Perspectives on compliance Jay Wagner and Kit Armstrong* The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.    1. Introduction   Background Oil and gas exploration and production (E&P) and associated energy infrastructure projects take place across the globe in a diversity of environmental and socio-economic settings from the Arctic to the humid tropics. Energy industry activities are also inherently complex and risky. They involve a variety of environment, health and safety (EHS) and social issues that need to be carefully managed alongside geologic, political and economic risk factors. Worldwide, stakeholders are demanding ever-higher levels of environmental and social performance from the industry. In addition to EHS concerns, a wide range of social issues, such as human rights, revenue management, ethics, governance and corruption, have become increasingly significant in terms of both perception and conduct of industry activities. As a result, oil and gas companies are being exposed

Social theories of risk Sheldon Krimsky, Dominic Golding 2 Resenhas Praeger, 1992 - 412 páginas The social science approach to risk has matured over the past two decades, with distinct paradigms developing in disciplines such as anthropology, economics, geography, psychology, and sociology. Social Theories of Risk traces the intellectual origins and histories of twelve of the established and emerging paradigms from the perspective of their principal proponents. Each contributor examines the underlying assumptions of his or her paradigm, the foundational issue it seeks to address, and likely future directions of research. Taken together, these essays illustrate that the principal achievement of social sciences has been to broaden the debate about risk beyond the narrow, technical considerations of engineers and the physical and life sciences. The authors conclude that expert knowledge is not value-free, that public perceptions of and attitudes toward risks vary according to a wide range of social, psychological, and cultural variables, and that public opposition to particular risks cannot be assuaged by technical fixes. The essays reveal the circuitous paths that lead people to the study of risk, highlight how these paths have crossed and discuss some of the seminal influences on individuals and the field in general. Social Theories of Risk presents a broad, retrospective view of the state of the theory in the social sciences, written by many who have been on the cutting edge of risk research since its early days. The book includes both established and novel perspectives that address the theoretical foundations of the field and reflect what we know about risk as a psychological, social, and cultural phenomenon. The collection of papers not only informs us of the tributary ideas that spawned the social studies of risk, but also how the field has matured. The biographical flavor of the essays provides fascinating reading for established members of the field, and a v

A Social Vulnerability Index for Disaster Management Barry E. Flanagan, CDC/ATSDR Edward W. Gregory, CDC/ATSDR Elaine J. Hallisey, CDC/ATSDR Janet L. Heitgerd, CDC/NCHHSTP Brian Lewis, CDC/ATSDR Abstract Social vulnerability refers to the socioeconomic and demographic factors that affect the resilience of communities. Studies have shown that in disaster events the socially vulnerable are more likely to be adversely affected, i.e. they are less likely to recover and more likely to die. Effectively addressing social vulnerability decreases both human suffering and the economic loss related to providing social services and public assistance after a disaster. This paper describes the development of a social vulnerability index (SVI), from 15 census variables at the census tract level, for use in emergency management. It also examines the potential value of the SVI by exploring the impact of Hurricane Katrina on local populations. Recommended Citation Flanagan, Barry E.; Gregory, Edward W.; Hallisey, Elaine J.; Heitgerd, Janet L.; and Lewis, Brian (2011) "A Social Vulnerability Index for Disaster Management," Journal of Homeland Security and Emergency Management: Vol. 8 : Iss. 1, Article 3. DOI: 10.2202/1547-7355.1792 Available at: http://www.bepress.com/jhsem/vol8/iss1/3

"In today's globalized and competitive business environment, companies increasingly look to restructuring, mergers acquisitions and downsizing to survive, grow and maximize profits. However, when they are not managed in a socially responsible manner, restructurings may exert the negative impact on employees, shareholders, communities, and society as a whole." "The book empirically explores the phenomena of corporate social responsibility (CSR), restructuring, and relationships with firm's performance in China. It gives an insight into how Chinese firms respond to expectations of stakeholders by making social goals a part of their overall business operations. It also gives a fresh view of the new concept of socially responsible restructuring. For those seeking to promote socially responsible practices in restructuring, the book provides a unique and stimulating analysis and touchstone."--BOOK JACKET

The Social Contours of Risk: Risk analysis, corporations and the globalization of risk Jeanne X. Kasperson, Roger E. Kasperson 0 Resenhas Earthscan, 2005 - 326 páginas We live in a 'risk society' where the identification, distribution and management of risks, from new technology, environmental factors or other sources are crucial to our individual and social existence. Jeanne and Roger Kasperson are two of the world's leading and most influential analysts of the social dimensions of risk. 'The Social Contours of Risk' brings together in two volumes their most important contributions to this fundamental and wide-ranging field. Volume 2 centers on the analysis and management of risk in society, in international business and multinationals, and globally. The 'acceptability' of risk to an individual depends on the context, whether in the larger society or in, say, a corporate framework. Their work clarifies the structures and processes for managing risks in the private sector, and the factors that produce or impede effective decisions. Corporate culture is crucial as they show in determining risk management. They analyze the transfer of corporate risk management systems from industrial to developing countries, and how globalization is spreading and creating new kinds of risk -- the combination of traditional and modern hazards presented by climate change, technology transfer and economic growth. They describe the new priorities and capacities needed to deal with these enhanced vulnerabilities around the globe.

Natural Hazards Center Publications Descriptions and links to publications of the Natural Hazards Center are provided below. In most cases, downloadable versions of the publications are available, along with archives of past publications. An updated PDF file listing all of the Natural Hazards Center Publications is available. For information on ordering hard copies of any publications, visit our publications purchasing page. Natural Hazards Observer The Natural Hazards Observer is the bimonthly periodical of the Natural Hazards Center. It covers current disaster issues; new international, national, and local disaster management, mitigation, and education programs; hazards research; political and policy developments; new information sources and Web sites; upcoming conferences; and recent publications. Disaster Research Disaster Research (DR) is a biweekly e-newsletter that includes some news items that also appear in the Natural Hazards Observer as well as other timely articles about new developments, policies, conference announcements, job vacancies, Web resources, and information sources in the field of hazards management. Quick Response Reports With funds contributed by the National Science Foundation, the Natural Hazards Center Quick Response program offers social scientists small grants to travel to the site of a disaster soon after it occurs to gather valuable information concerning immediate impact and response. Scholars participating in the program submit reports, which the Center makes available for free online. Research Digest Research Digest is a quarterly online publication that compiles recent research into an easily accessible format for the hazards and disasters community. It provides complete references and abstracts (when available) for current research in the field. The issues include more than 35 peer reviewed publications. Natural Hazards Review The Natural Hazards Review is a joint publication of the Natural Hazards Center and the American Societ

Social Vulnerability to Disasters Brenda Phillips, Cheryl Childers, Alice Fothergill, Deborah Thomas 0 Resenhas CRC PR INC, 2009 - 406 páginas Standard emergency management training programs prepare for the effects of a disaster on a community. However, factors beyond logistics, such as understanding at-risk populations, can be critical in ensuring that a disaster does not become a catastrophe. Based on materials developed for the FEMA Higher Education Project, this book, designed for classroom use, explores how vulnerable social groups cope with hazardous events. The authors examine historical, geographical, social, and cultural factors that put people at risk, before, during, and after disasters. The text also offers strategies for community-based mitigation programs that engage those people most at risk.

The social amplification of risk Nick F. Pidgeon, Roger E. Kasperson, Paul Slovic 0 Resenhas Cambridge University Press, 2003 - 448 páginas The management of and communication about risks has become a major question of public policy and intellectual debate in the modern world. The social amplification of risk framework describes how both social and individual factors act to amplify or dampen perceptions of risk and through this create secondary effects such as stigmatisation of technologies, economic losses or regulatory impacts. This volume, edited by three of the world's leading analysts of risk and its communication, brings together contributions from a group of international experts working in the field of risk perception and risk communication. Key conceptual issues are discussed as well as a range of recent case studies (spanning BSE and food safety, AIDS/HIV, nuclear power, child protection, Y2K, electromagnetic fields, and waste incineration) that take forward the state-of-the-art in risk amplification theory. The volume also draws attention to lessons for public policy, risk management and risk communication practice.

Socializing Risk: The New Energy Economics May 27, 2010frankackermanLeave a commentGo to comments from Frank Ackerman Despite talk of a moratorium, the Interior Department's Minerals and Management Service is still granting waivers from environmental review for oil drilling in the Gulf of Mexico, including wells in very deep water. Until last month, most of us never thought about the risk that one of those huge offshore rigs would explode in flames and then sink, causing oil to gush out uncontrollably and befoul the oceans. The odds seemed low, and still do: Aren't there lots of drilling rigs in use, year after year? Twenty years ago, your elected representatives thought that you'd be happy to have them adopt a very low cap on industry's liability for oil spill damages.  Nuclear power was never quite free of fears; it was too clearly a spin-off of nuclear weapons to ignore the risk of a very big bang. Yet as its advocates point out, we have had hundreds of reactor-years of experience, with only a few accidents. (And someday when Nevada's politicians aren't looking, maybe we can slip all of our nuclear waste into a cave in the desert.) Again, the risks are so low that you'd be happy to learn about a law limiting industry's liability for accidents, wouldn't you?  Environmentalists have long warned that the world could run out of energy and resources, from the "limits to growth" theories of the 1970s to the more recently popular notion of "peak oil." The response from economists has been that prices for energy and raw materials are still moderate, and declined over the course of the 20th century; if we are running out of something, why doesn't its price skyrocket? The problem is that what we're running out of is low-risk conventional energy supplies. Because our economy conceals and socializes energy risks, prices remain deceptively low for an increasingly risky energy supply. The market wasn't supposed to work this way. In the

Oxford University Press US, 2008 - 600 páginas Environmental harm is commonly associated with companies that extract, consume, and pollute our shared natural resources. Rarely are the 'unseen polluters,' the financiers that sponsor and profit from eco-damaging corporations, placed at the forefront of the environmental debate. By focusing on these unseen polluters, Benjamin Richardson provides a comprehensive examination of socially responsible investment (SRI), and offers a guide to possible reform. Richardson proposes that greater regulatory supervision of SRI will help ensure that the financial sector prioritizes ethically-based investments. In Socially Responsible Investment Law, he suggests that new governmental reforms should encourage companies to participate in socially responsible investments by providing a better mix of standards and incentives for SRI through measures that include redefining the fiduciary responsibilities of institutional investors to incorporate environmental concerns. By doing so, Richardson posits that corporate financiers, including banks, hedge funds, and pension plans, will become more accountable to the goals of ensuring sustainable development.

you do not happen to be a disaster researcher or know the history of disaster research, you might not realize how unusual Catastrophe in the Making is. Disaster research has been a sociological specialty since the late-1940s, but the field has faced several challenges, particularly on a theoretical level. One challenge stems from the fact that the original funders of disaster research, which were primarily military and civil defense institutions at the federal level, were not particularly interested in theory. Rather, they were interested in solid empirical research about social and organizational responses during disasters that could provide practical insights into how people might behave should the United States become involved in an extreme nuclear confrontation or all-out nuclear war. This focus in turn led to another problematic outcome, which is that researchers conceptualized and studied disasters primarily as events-as occurrences that were, in the words of the pioneering researcher Charles Fritz, "concentrated in time and space." Put another way, early social science researchers thought about disasters in more or less the way the general public did: as events that have a beginning, middle, and end, with the "beginning" of the disaster being the time when the disaster "agent"-the flood, earthquake, hurricane, fire, or other threat-appears on the scene and begins to threaten human communities. Most research has focused on such topics as responses to pre-disaster warnings; patterns of social behavior during the period following disaster impact; organizational adaptation and improvisation during disasters; and the disaster response activities of specific types of organizations and institutions. There has also been an emphasis on developing empirical generalizations and insights on the basis of the study of specific disasters, which subsequently developed in an incremental fashion into a body of empirical findings. This is not to claim that th

Risk governance: coping with uncertainty in a complex world Ortwin Renn 0 Resenhas Earthscan, 2008 - 455 páginas This book, for the first time, brings together and updates the ground-breaking work of renowned risk theorist and researcher Ortwin Renn and integrates the major disciplinary concepts of risk in the social, engineering, and natural sciences. The book unfolds through consecutive acts, opening with the context of risk handling and flowing through the core topics of assessment, evaluation, perception, management, and communication, culminating in a look at the transition from risk management to risk governance and a glimpse at a new understanding of risk in (post)modern societies. The focus is on systemic risks, such as genetically modified organisms, that load high on complexity, uncertainty, and ambiguity and have major repercussions on financial, economic, and social impact areas beyond the physical world. This is essential reading for all researchers, academics, and professionals across the social sciences, sciences, medical, engineering, and financial secto

Diante das modernizações ocorridas no território brasileiro nas últimas décadas e o repensar das funções do Estado em face ao aprofundamento das desigualdades sócio-espaciais especialmente após os anos 80, as empresas passam a assumir um novo papel como mitigadoras destes problemas por meio da chamada responsabilidade social. Este discurso configura toda uma psicosfera inédita promovida pelas fundações e institutos empresariais que se multiplicam neste período, juntamente com as certificações e normas privadas voltadas para a promoção do novo papel social das empresas. Procuramos, primeiramente, fazer uma periodização que buscasse os fundamentos das ações sociais das empresas e os valores que ditaram a relação entre estas e os lugares onde se encontram. No período atual, ao pesquisar como estas ações ocorrem territorialmente, estabelecemos três organizações básicas: ações concentradas, pontuais e dispersas. Cada tipo de organização pressupõe uma combinação específica de verticalidades e horizontalidades que conduzem a relações diferenciadas entre a dinâmica do lugar e as ações empresariais. Deste modo, buscamos desmistificar a estratégia empresarial através da sua concretização no uso do território.

The sister cities of El Paso, Texas and Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua form one of the largest manufacturing complexes in the world, and provide a unique context in which to examine transnational patterns of environmental injustice. In this paper, we explore residential patterns of environmental injustice related to the location of industrial facilities (ie maquiladoras and facilities regulated by the Toxics Release Inventory) in the El Paso - Juárez metropolis, taking a comparative approach. Our results indicate a striking injustice in the raw level of industrial hazard confronted by residents on the Mexican side of the border compared with those on the US side-a direct result of location within the global economy. In terms of multivariate spatial regression results, patterns of exposure to residential hazards diverged between the two cities. In Mexico, generally marginal neighborhoods (based on low social class and higher proportions of migrants to the city) were located farther away from industry, whereas they were located closer in the US. We explain these findings on the basis of sociospatial differences in urbanization, social marginality, and industrial development between El Paso and Juárez, which reflect the two cities' juxtaposition vis-à-vis global political - economic dynamics. Future research is needed to test relationships between social marginality and industrial hazards in transnational and Southern contexts to determine if similar or divergent patterns exist.

In contemporary culture risk is ubiquitous, filtering through a range of activities, practices and experiences. In line with rising public concerns about the management of current threats - such as crime, terrorism and global warming -interest in risk has gathered momentum in the social sciences, galvanized by Ulrich Beck's risk society thesis. Bringing together cutting edge academics and researchers, Beyond the Risk Society provides an understanding of the relevance and impact of the concept of risk in various subject areas. Contributions by domain experts critically evaluate the way in which theoretical risk perspectives have influenced their fields of interest, offering the opportunity to reflect upon the problems and possibilities for future work on risk. In assembling this collection, the editors propose a holistic and trans-disciplinary approach to understanding the nature and consequences of risk in everyday life.This text is key reading for social sciences students in a range of disciplines, including sociology, criminology, cultural studies, media studies, psychology and social policy. Contributors: Alison Anderson, Rob Flynn, Jane Franklin, Hazel Kemshall, Deborah Lupton, Phil Macnaghten, Jim McGuigan, Peter McMylor, Gabe Mythen, Pat O'Malley, Teela Sanders, Steve Tombs, Sandra Walklate, Dave Whyte, Iain Wilkinson

This article explores emerging discursive formations concerning the relationship of business and morality. It suggests that contemporary tendencies to economize public domains and methods of government also dialectically produce tendencies to moralize markets in general and business enterprises in particular. The article invokes the concept of 'responsibilization' as means of accounting for the epistemological and practical consequences of such processes. Looking at the underlying 'market rationality' of governance, and critically examining the notion of 'corporate social responsibility', it concludes that the moralization of markets further sustains, rather than undermining, neo-liberal governmentalities and neo-liberal visions of civil society, citizenship and responsible social actio

Industry affects society and the natural environment. It does so through several channels, such as by creating jobs, producing useful goods, supporting community activities, helping solve societal issues, ensuring the environmental sustainability of its activities, etc. In order to make this impact as virtuous as possible, many companies have in place a corporate social responsibility (CSR) strategy and programme. The European Commission defines CSR as: "A concept whereby companies integrate social and environmental concerns in their business operations and in their interaction with their stakeholders on a voluntary basis."

Risk and blame: essays in cultural theory Mary Douglas 0 Resenhas Routledge, 1994 - 323 páginas "The idea of risk has recently risen to prominence in political debate, and has become the regular coinage of exchange in public policy." InRisk and Blame, a collection of essays, Mary Douglas studies the concepts of risk and blame, and suggests how political and cultural bias can be incorporated into the study of risk perception and the discussion of reponsibility and danger in public policy. Risk and Blameargues that any analysis of risk perception that ignores cultural and political bias is worthless. The text goes on to discuss questions of cultural theory, including questions of autonomy, credibility and gullibility, the origin of wants, and the idea of a distinctive thought style that is part of a way of life. Because these topics have so far only been lightly touched upon in the social sciences, risk perception is now moving center-stage as the dominant idiom of policy analysis, forcing radical reconsideration of other key topics. InRisk and BlameMary Douglas suggests that the prominence of risk discourse will force upon the social sciences a program of rethinking and consolidation which will include the anthropological approaches studied in these pages. The range of this book extends far beyond anthropology to philosophy, cultural theory, and organizational theory, making it a welcome text for anthropologists, philosophers, sociologists, and theorists.