The study of cultural attention to risk has developed greatly over the past two decades. One area where there has been only limited work is that of non-western perceptions of and responses to risk. This study of the management of technological risks in China seeks to expand cross-cultural understanding of the social construction of risk by examining how different cultural formations in modern China have interacted with powerful influences from the international environment in devising responses to risks. Through archival research and interviews, both in the United States and in China, the project will develop case studies of Chinese risk management strategies for flood control, nuclear power, hazardous chemicals and airline operations. In addition to adding an important non-western example to the comparative risk analysis literature, the project should contribute to understanding how major influences from abroad, including technology transfers, international educational experiences, membership in international organizations, study and emulation of foreign policy models, and exposure to foreign risk controversies, affect a nation's "risk transitions." Sharpening an appreciation of how risks are identified, assessed, and managed will also provide additional insights into Chinese approaches to its complex environmental problems and, thus, how to build a stronger base for what is likely to be a long-term international engagement with China on environmental affairs.
