This book critically explores from a comparative international perspective the role medicine plays in constructing and managing natural and social risks, including those belonging to modern medical technology and expertise. Drawing together chapters written by professional practitioners and social scientists from the UK, South America, Australia and Europe, the book offers readers an insightful and thought-provoking analysis of how modern medicine has transformed our understanding of both ourselves and the world around us, but in so doing has arguably failed to fully recognize and account for, its unintended and negative effects. This is an essential read for social scientists, practitioners and policymakers who want to better understand how they can develop new ways of thinking about how modern medicine can promote social goods and enhance public health.

John Martyn Chamberlain is Associate Professor in Medical Criminology at the University of Southampton.

1. An Introduction to Medicine, Risk, Discourse and Power John Martyn Chamberlain 2. Sociology and Risk: A Link in Permanent (Re)Construction Fiorella Mancini 3. Time, Risk and Health Andy Alaszewski and Patrick Brown 4. Using Medicines in the Face of Uncertainty: Developing a Habermasian Understanding of Medicines' Lifeworlds Patrick Brown 5. Performing Risk and Power: Predictive Technologies in Personalized Medicine Nadav Even Chorev 6. Balancing Risk and Recovery in Mental Health: An Analysis of the Way in Which Policy Objectives Around Risk and Recovery Affect Professional Practice in England Jeremy Dixon 7. Moving from Gut Feeling to Evidence: The Case of Social Work Gemma Mitchell 8. Regulating for Safer Doctors in the Risk Society John Martyn Chamberlain 9. Health Experts Challenge the Safety of Pesticides in Argentina and Brazil Renata Motta and Florencia Arancibia 10. Changing Discourses of Risk and Health-Risk: A Corpus Analysis of the Usage of Risk Language in The New York Times Jens O. Zinn and Daniel McDonald