Introduction -- Nuclear dreams and radioactive nightmares: popular culture and the quest for nuclear consensus in East and West Germany, 1945-1970 -- On the brink of disaster?: safety regimes and nuclear accidents in the two Germanys -- Dissenting voices: the emergence of counterexperts in West Germany -- From local roots to national prominence: the struggle over Wyhl -- Environmentalism as civil war: Brokdorf-and the consequences -- The shock of Chernobyl and the environmentalist breakthrough in West Germany -- Not immune to error: Chernobyl's impact in the GDR -- Abandoning nuclear power-or not? -- Conclusion.
Summary:
The German abandonment of nuclear power represents one of the most successful popular revolts against technocratic thinking in modern times-the triumph of a dynamic social movement, comprised of a broad swath of West Germans and select East German dissidents, over political, economic, and scientific elites. Taking on Technocracy gives a brisk account of this dramatic historical moment, showing how the popularization of scientific knowledge fostered new understandings of technological risk. Combining analyses of social history, popular culture, social movement theory, and histories of science and technology, it offers a compelling narrative of a key episode in the recent history of popular resistance.
This resource is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by State Library of Iowa.