The Nuclear Peninsula [Paperback]

Describes how people living near a French nuclear waste processing-plant reconcile themselves to the possibility of nuclear catastrophe.Zonabend describes how those working and living in the vicinity of a French nuclear waste-processing plant reconcile themselves to the possibility of nuclear catastrophe. This is a major contribution to the anthropology of modern life.Zonabend describes how those working and living in the vicinity of a French nuclear waste-processing plant reconcile themselves to the possibility of nuclear catastrophe. This is a major contribution to the anthropology of modern life.A quiet French country district is the site of a nuclear waste processing plant. Françoise Zonabend describes how those working there, and living nearby, reconcile themselves to the possibility of nuclear catastrophe. By analyzing work practices and language, the author provides a superb sociology of the nuclear workplace, with its divisions and hierarchies, and explains the often unexpected responses of the workers to the fear of contamination. This is a major contribution to the anthropology of modern life.List of illustrations; Preface: Once there was a landscape &; List of abbreviations; Introduction: talking nuclear; Part I. Nuclear Landscapes: 1. La Hague or the nuclear zone; 2. The nuclear setting; 3. The politics of nuclear power; Part II. The Nuclear People: 4. The nuclear site: an inventory of fixtures; 5. Learning the nuclear ropes; 6. The nuclear everyday; Conclusion: the ultimate subject - man; Notes; Index. By analyzing work practices and language, the author provides a superb sociology of the nuclear workplace, with its divisions and hierarchies, and explains the often unexpected responses of the workers to the fear of contamination. This is a major contribution to the anthropology of modern life. Bulletin of Science, Technology and Sociology