Events, Vermischtes

Online Vortrag: Public Perception of Nuclear Energy-Shaping Arguments, Discourses, Rebuttals, Concerns and Generating Acceptance. A Brief Transnational Overview

The present times is witnessing a renewed urgency and need for including nuclear energy in the energy mix of the economies. This comes hand in hand with the growth in nuclear arms production and capabilities as the world emerges from the pandemic. For a long time, nuclear debates in Europe, UK, USA, Russia have dictated the discourse of nuclear related matters for the entire world. This has influenced protests, discussions, research, trade, acceptability around the world. However, a strong skepticism has always played a strong role when it came to nuclear technology.

1) With this background, my talk will compare the anti-nuclear protests witnessed in the US, Europe, UK in the 1970s, 80s with that to the anti-nuclear protest in a developing country like India, in fairly recent years – in the time period of 1989-2011.

2) One important aspect of this comparison will be how people view science while forming opinions about complex scientific structures and infrastructures. My talk will focus on the discourses on public perception of nuclear technology and more precisely nuclear energy.

3) The talk will highlight one of the old arguments put forward by the nuclear industry bodies to convince the governments and the people of its long-term utility- ‘Nuclear as no carbon fuel’. A strong case has been built for many years for generating acceptance for nuclear energy by addressing this term.

The talk will look into public attitudes towards nuclear energy in developed and developing countries, what shaped them, the ebbs and flows in these debates and where do we presently stand.

Referent: Kamna Tiwary, PhD, Maryland, USA, Executive Committee of the International Committee for the History of Technology, ICOHTEC

Wann: Donnerstag, den 31. März 2022, 17 Uhr 30 via Zoom

Veranstalter: Verein Deutscher Ingenieure (VDI) – Berlin-Brandenburg; Arbeitskreis Technikgeschichte – Dr.-Ing. Karl-Eugen Kurrer und PD Dr. phil. Stefan Poser

Anmeldung unter: www.vdi.de