Name: The Sociology of Risk: Identity and Meaning in the Wilderness
Start: 2026-10-22T13:30:00-0700
End: 2026-10-22T14:30:00-0700

Main Conference: Tuesday October 20 - Thursday, October 22, 2026

Preconference: Monday October 19 - Tuesday, October 20, 2026

*Schedule subject to change.

The Sociology of Risk: Identity and Meaning in the Wilderness

Thursday October 22, 2026 1:30pm - 2:30pm PDT

Clackamas

The “FACETS” acronym is a widely used tool designed to help wilderness professionals avoid falling into heuristic traps. Yet accidents persist, even among highly experienced guides. Rather than treating these incidents as lapses of judgement, workshop participants will consider the following questions: What kind of person did this decision allow me to be at that moment? Which identities were being performed, protected, or threatened? What actions were or weren’t available given those identity commitments?
Drawing on sociological theory, this workshop reframes risk as not simply a question of rational decision making, but as questions of meaning and identity. Heuristics are not just cognitive shortcuts, but are socially patterned, emerging through training, organizational culture, and cultural norms. Risk perception is not merely individual, but produced through group dynamics, communication, and organizational culture.
Participants will examine how situational pressures and organizational expectations shape judgment. Through guided reflection and discussion, they will interrogate their own decision-making patterns and consider how “good judgment” is produced and constrained by identity.

Speakers

Elan Rochell-Share

PhD Student in Sociology, Department of Sociology, University of Colorado Boulder

Elan Rochell-Share is a Ph.D. student in Sociology at the University of Colorado Boulder and an experienced wilderness guide. While his dissertation focuses on the cultural frameworks shaping mental health practitioners, he has spent recent years applying sociological and organizational... Read More →

Thursday October 22, 2026 1:30pm - 2:30pm PDT
Clackamas 909 N Hayden Island Dr, Portland, OR 97217

Staff Training & Decision Making, Breakout Session

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2026 Wilderness Risk Management Conference

Elan Rochell-Share

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2026 Wilderness Risk Management Conference

Elan Rochell-Share

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