Adapting to Modernity. River Engineering and Emotional Engineering in 1950s Sweden

Area of Science:

• History of Technology
• Science and Technology Studies
• Environmental History

Background:

• Postwar Sweden's technological modernization, driven by electrification and hydropower, faced significant public and community opposition.
• Vattenfall (Swedish State Power Board) experienced a severe acceptance crisis regarding its hydropower construction plans.
• This crisis prompted an intensive public relations campaign by Vattenfall.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine Vattenfall's public relations (PR) materials, particularly films, produced during an acceptance crisis.
• To analyze how Vattenfall framed conflicts surrounding hydropower exploitation.
• To explore the broader adaptation discourse in postwar Sweden and its connection to social engineering ideals.

Main Methods:

• Close reading and analysis of Vattenfall's PR films and related materials.
• Examination of the postwar Swedish adaptation discourse concerning technological and social modernization.
• Application of a history of emotions approach to the study of technology acceptance.

Main Results:

• Vattenfall's PR materials framed hydropower conflicts as individual 'adaptation' to modernity.
• This framing drew upon a widespread discourse of adaptation prevalent in postwar Sweden.
• The adaptation discourse aligned with the 'people's home' (folkhemmet) and welfare state's social engineering ideals.

Conclusions:

• Postwar Swedish river engineering utilized PR and emotional engineering techniques.
• Framing social conflicts over hydropower as individual adaptation depoliticized technological choices.
• A history of emotions approach offers valuable insights into technology acceptance studies.