Six Decades Of Risk Research: A Review Of Key Publications

Based on citation metrics and influence on foundational theory, which are the most influential scientific articles in risk research? Explore the top journal papers on relevant risk-related topics – revisited by well-known experts in the field – for insights into perceiving, analysing, assessing, and mitigating risks.

This open access book offers a compelling exploration of risk research, blending theory, real-world case studies, and historical insights. It reveals how risks are identified, measured, and managed across science and societal sectors. Whether you are a student, researcher, or decision-maker in policy and operational practice, this book provides a chronological and thought-provoking guide to navigating risk.

Bridging theory and applied science, the book reveals how scientific disciplines perceive and respond to uncertainty. It challenges common assumptions, exposes hidden biases, and highlights the limits of prediction in an unpredictable world. The collection of influential key texts guides readers through the evolving landscape of risk analysis, from statistical models to behavioural perspectives, from technical risk assessments to sociocultural studies.

The book is a call for a knowledge-based society to adopt a more reflexive perspective that allows for a deeper understanding of how national and global policy on risk is framed today. Are you prepared for a thought-provoking journey through sixty years of risk research? We invite you to rethink what risk truly means – and how we can better prepare for an unpredictable future. 

Juergen Weichselgartner has demonstrated outstanding expertise in initiating, coordinating, and implementing research and capacity-building activities across a broad spectrum of risk-related research and policy. He is heading the working group Civil Protection and Urban Resilience at the Hamburg University of Applied Sciences. His professional service includes editorial reviews for leading scientific journals (e.g., International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, Natural Hazards), funding agencies (e.g., AvH, ESF), and international organisations and bodies (e.g., IPCC, BMZ), as well as consultancy work (e.g., IDB, GIZ). He has contributed to major global reports (e.g., UNDP's Reducing Disaster Risk), published several books, book chapters, and scientific articles in leading international journals, and has served as Secretary of the International Geographical Union Commission on "Hazards and Risks".

Lothar Schrott is heading the Geomorphology and Environmental Systems working group at the Department of Geography and is Director of the postgraduate Master's programme "Disaster management and Risk Governance (KaVoMa)" at the University of Bonn. Since 2025, he has been the Scientific Director of the Geoscientific Network in the Aachen-Bonn-Cologne-Jülich research region. He is a member of the Scientific Advisory Board of the "Federal Office of Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance (BBK)", and the Executive Board of the "German Committee for Disaster Reduction e.V.". He is a reviewer for numerous scientific journals and international scientific organisations (e.g. NSF, DFG, SNF). He was actively involved in developing the new European Master's programme "EUMA - International Disaster Management and Civil Protection". He has co-edited several special issues and textbooks and has published a large number of scientific papers and book chapters in leading international journals. He is continuously involved in research projects related to natural hazards, risks and geomorphic processes.

Thomas Glade is heading the working group ENGAGE - Geomorphic Systems and Risk Research at the University of Vienna for more than 20 years. Herein, his research focuses on understanding the earth surface materials, forms and process and their dynamics - specifically in relation to natural hazards and risk. Therefore, he is also working on topics such as risk governance, disaster risk management, newly emerging risks and early warning systems. He serves as Editor-in-Chief for the journal Natural Hazards, as a member of other editorial boards, and he is director of the postgraduate master programme "OeRISK - Risk Prevention and Disaster Management" and led the development of the new programme "EUMA - International Risk Management and Civil Protection", which started in October 2026. He published more than 300 contributions mostly in peer-reviewed journals, but also as book chapters, and he edited two major textbooks. Furthermore, he is active in various roles (Coordinator, Principal Investigator) in national and international research projects and is appointed to different Scientific Advisory Boards.