Applying Search Words and BBS Posts to Societal Risk Perception and Harmonious Society Measurement

Current China is undergoing social transformation with economic miracle and emerging big poor-rich gap. Mission to a Harmonious Society has been promoted by Chinese top leaders. This paper briefly outlines several indicators to evaluate the harmony society. As a variety of Internet tools provides ways to record and disseminate fresh community opinions conveniently, mining of those kinds of public opinions is expected. This paper discusses one approach to societal risk perception using hot search words and BBS posts, which aims to provide another access to societal risk perception different from those in traditional socio psychology studies. Problems are also indicated.