Offers a broad overview of the psychological, social, and communication processes involved in risk perception to better understand how communication influences the way we think about and respond to risk. Cigarette pack warnings, weather advisories, nutrition labels, and town hall meetings are among the many examples of risk communication in daily life. We live in a modern "risk society"—preoccupied with assessing, debating, preventing, and managing potential hazards to our health and safety. Offers students an opportunity to learn how these processes inform the development of effective risk-communication strategies including institutional risk assessment, stakeholder participation, and formal messaging. Designed to help students both construct and critique risk-communication techniques in the context of contemporary social issues (e.g., texting and driving, pollution, terrorism).