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Embracing the "Atomic Future" in Post-World War II Austria.
Technology and Culture
|March 26, 2019
Summary
Austria
Area of Science:
- Science and Technology Studies
- History of Science and Technology
- Political Science
Background:
- Austria's technopolitical identity is often characterized by its rejection of nuclear power.
- This anti-nuclear stance overshadows a historical period of nuclear optimism and engagement following World War II until the 1970s.
Purpose of the Study:
- To reconstruct Austria's pro-nuclear phase and analyze the development of its institutional infrastructure.
- To investigate how the "atomic age" was embraced as part of a national reimagining focused on progress.
- To understand the entanglement of political and nuclear interests and the creation of a "sociotechnical imaginary" for a nuclear future.
Main Methods:
- Historical analysis of Austria's pro-nuclear phase.
- Examination of institutional frameworks and actor assemblages.
- Analysis of the "sociotechnical imaginary" constructed around nuclear technology.
Main Results:
- Austria had a significant pro-nuclear phase, embracing the "atomic age" for national progress.
- A robust "sociotechnical imaginary" was built, linking Austria's scientific past to a nuclear future.
- The study reveals the complex interplay of political, institutional, and technical factors in shaping nuclear policy.
Conclusions:
- Understanding Austria's pro-nuclear past is crucial for comprehending its current technopolitical identity.
- The construction of a "sociotechnical imaginary" is key to establishing pro- or anti-nuclear positions.
- Specific assemblages of actors, technologies, and values were necessary to foster a pro-nuclear future.
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