Fictionalizing Nuclear Terrorism in US Nuclear Fiction: James Reich’s Bombshell

2021 ◽  
pp. 241-250
Author(s):  
Inna Sukhenko

This paper studies the phenomenon of fictionalizing terrorism as a literary response to the violence paradigm within nuclear narrative from the perspective of nuclear awareness formation as a critical thinking product about the nuclear energy related issues within the Nuclear Anthropocene. Focusing on James Reich’s Bombshell (2013), the paper goes beyond literary critical analysis of exploring the ways of fictionalizing the sociopolitical and psychic motives and ideas behind an act of terrorism. The paper highlights the factual component of the literary figurations of terrorism and terrorist activities in nuclear fiction, which is regarded here not only as a factor of weakening the apocalyptic rhetoric of nuclear narrative by transforming its “fabulously textual” nature, but mainly as a trigger of shaping public awareness and knowledge management on nuclear history and nuclear industry with a view to considering the possible patters of nuclear terrorism within the contemporary nuclear agenda.

2021 ◽  
pp. 136078042110250
Author(s):  
Julie Schweitzer ◽  
Tamara L Mix

Employing the example of France’s civil nuclear program, we connect political opportunity structures (POSs) to mechanisms of knowledge production, identifying how opposing stakeholders generate knowledge about a controversial technology. A history of nuclear dependence in France creates a context that praises, normalizes, and rationalizes nuclear energy while stigmatizing attempts to question or contest the nuclear industry’s dominant position. Integrating Bond’s knowledge-shaping process with Coy and colleagues’ concept of oppositional knowledge, we consider how the broader social, political, and economic context influences opposing stakeholder assessments of nuclear energy. Employing qualitative semi-structured interviews, we offer unique insight into the French nuclear debate, discussing the role of POS in shaping knowledge production.


2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 528-540
Author(s):  
Euclides Nenga Manuel Sacomboio

The global community is racing to slow down and eventually stop the spread of COVID-19, which is a pandemic that has killed thousands of lives and made tens of thousands sick. The new coronavirus has already reached Angola, with 25 confirmed cases, among them 2 died and 6 were cured. The government has decreed a state of emergency on 24 March 2020 for 15 days, which was extended twice for the same number of days that will make it possible to reduce clusters of people and keep them at home. This study reflected on the diverse ways of leadership. It is an article of theoretical, technical and scientific reflection, based on the experience of a new epidemiological situation, with a critical analysis based on technical, scientific and professional experience, with bibliographic input of data obtained from information published in scientific articles, newspapers, magazines and other official documents published in Angola and worldwide related to COVID-19. This article emerged from critical thinking based on the current situation of COVID-19 in Angola in the world and is reflected in this article, what Angola should learn and learned from the experience of other countries that also imported the disease, their history of investment in health, characteristics of their populations, their economies and other aspects.


2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 327-332
Author(s):  
Tatiana A. Burtseva ◽  
Sergey S. Khvorostyannikov ◽  
Anastasia A. Kuznetsova

The depletion of traditional organic energy sources and aggravated environmental problems are the reasons why the level of energy efficiency is an important factor in the competitiveness of the national economy. Russia ranks third in the world in terms of total energy consumption and its economy is distinguished by a high level of energy intensity (amount of energy per unit of GDP). In 2019, this figure was 9.62 tons of oil equivalent (toe) per 1 million rubles, which is 40% higher than the world average. The low energy efficiency of the Russian economy is a widely recognized problem. A special decree of the Government of Russia in 2018 sets the task of increasing the level of energy efficiency of the Russian economy by 23% by 2030. One of the ways to solve this problem is the development of nuclear energy, and increasing the competitiveness of nuclear energy is one of the key issues for the national economy. In this connection, solving the problem of assessing the competitiveness of the nuclear industry and its leading companies occupies a key place among the practical scientific problems, the solution of which is facilitated by the results presented by the authors in this article. Rosenergoatom Concern JSC is the leading energy generating company in the Russian nuclear industry. The results of the study of the competitiveness of Rosenergoatom Concern JSC were obtained on the basis of the authors’ methodology for assessing the competitiveness of an energy generating company. The novelty of the presented methodology lies in the developed normative and evaluative model and the coefficients of competitiveness of an energy generating company. The advantages of the authors’ model are that it allows (1) obtaining integral assessments of the competitiveness of a power generating company at short time intervals for a large number of indicators and (2) quantitatively measuring the effects of different factors on the competitiveness of a power generating company, provided that the grouping of indicators of competitiveness of a power generating company is justified by influencing factors. The two factors considered by the authors were: the general market factor and the industry factor. According to the results of the study, it was found that Rosenergoatom Concern JSC demonstrates positive increase of the competitiveness indicator mainly due to the industry factor. With this regard, it was concluded that, within the framework of state policy, it is advisable to strengthen support for the Russian nuclear industry by creating additional conditions and opportunities for its energy generating companies on the domestic energy market.


Author(s):  
Marc Jacquinet ◽  
Henrique Curado ◽  
Ângela Lacerda Nobre ◽  
Maria José Sousa ◽  
Marco Arraya ◽  
...  

There is a growing literature on health and health care dedicated to empowerment of patients; but there is still a gap in the literature to conceptualize knowledge, to extend the discussion of the empowerment of the patients to the stakeholders. The discussion is at the level of managerial processes of empowerment and knowledge management related to health care. The present chapter starts with a review on empowerment, especially focused on the health sector. The following sections will develop a critical analysis of empowerment, mainly around the concept of tacit knowledge (Polanyi) and knowledge management. One key variable is the proximity of the actors involved in the empowerment process. This key variable is very much related to the tacitness issue of knowledge production and flows. The chapter extends the discussion of the empowerment of the patients to that of the stakeholders and the general debate about health literacy. A model is briefly described for the purpose of illustrating the learning process in a knowledge management implemented in health care.


Author(s):  
Marc Jacquinet ◽  
Henrique Curado ◽  
Ângela Lacerda Nobre ◽  
Maria José Sousa ◽  
Marco Arraya ◽  
...  

There is a growing literature on health and health care dedicated to empowerment of patients; but there is still a gap in the literature to conceptualize knowledge, to extend the discussion of the empowerment of the patients to the stakeholders. The discussion is at the level of managerial processes of empowerment and knowledge management related to health care. The present chapter starts with a review on empowerment, especially focused on the health sector. The following sections will develop a critical analysis of empowerment, mainly around the concept of tacit knowledge (Polanyi) and knowledge management. One key variable is the proximity of the actors involved in the empowerment process. This key variable is very much related to the tacitness issue of knowledge production and flows. The chapter extends the discussion of the empowerment of the patients to that of the stakeholders and the general debate about health literacy. A model is briefly described for the purpose of illustrating the learning process in a knowledge management implemented in health care.


2019 ◽  
pp. 314-338
Author(s):  
Marc Jacquinet ◽  
Henrique Curado ◽  
Ângela Lacerda Nobre ◽  
Maria José Sousa ◽  
Marco Arraya ◽  
...  

There is a growing literature on health and health care dedicated to empowerment of patients; but there is still a gap in the literature to conceptualize knowledge, to extend the discussion of the empowerment of the patients to the stakeholders. The discussion is at the level of managerial processes of empowerment and knowledge management related to health care. The present chapter starts with a review on empowerment, especially focused on the health sector. The following sections will develop a critical analysis of empowerment, mainly around the concept of tacit knowledge (Polanyi) and knowledge management. One key variable is the proximity of the actors involved in the empowerment process. This key variable is very much related to the tacitness issue of knowledge production and flows. The chapter extends the discussion of the empowerment of the patients to that of the stakeholders and the general debate about health literacy. A model is briefly described for the purpose of illustrating the learning process in a knowledge management implemented in health care.


Author(s):  
Jean-Jacques Grenouillet

Nowadays, decommissioning of nuclear power plants has become a key issue for nuclear industry in Europe. The phasing out of nuclear energy in Germany, Belgium and Sweden, as well as the early closure of nuclear units in applicant countries in the frame of EU enlargement, has largely contributed to consider decommissioning as the next challenge to face. The situation is slightly different in France where nuclear energy is still considered as a safe, cost-effective and environment friendly energy source. Electricite´ de France (EDF) is working on the development of a new generation of reactor to replace the existing one and erection of a new nuclear power plant could start in the next few years. Nevertheless, to achieve this objective, it will be necessary to get the support of political decision-makers and the acceptance of public opinion. Due to the growing concern of these stakeholders for environmental issues, their support can only be obtained if it is possible to demonstrate that nuclear energy industry will not leave behind unsolved issues that will be a burden to the next generations. In this context decommissioning of the first generation of EDF NPPs constitutes a prerequisite for the erection of a new type of nuclear power plant. This paper will present the programme defined by EDF for the decommissioning of its nine already shutdown reactors (Fig. 1). The reasons of the recent evolution of EDF decommissioning strategy will be explained and the key issues that will contribute to the successful implementation of this programme will be addressed. Finally, what has been achieved on sites so far and major planned activities will be described.


Author(s):  
Priscilla Obeng Oforiwaa ◽  
Liang Manchun ◽  
Su Guofeng ◽  
Li Ke

Abstract Nuclear Radiological accident is of great threat to the Nuclear Agency aside nuclear terrorism. In countries with little or no major nuclear infrastructural facilities, it is of great importance to educate stakeholders and employees in the handling and emergency decision involved in the usage of these radionuclides, thus training on this platform gives the maximum and technical know-how in cases where it is difficult to procure types of equipment needed for such educational exercise in real life. Ghana is a country that seeks to increase the use of nuclear technological applications. Sealed Radioactive Sources are used in Ghana for research, Agriculture, mining exploration and brachytherapy. Operators need to train immensely in the handling of these sources. The NEDDTP is a software system to help conduct training and emergency exercises simulation. The NEDDTP is developed by the China Nuclear Security center of excellence with the aim of performing the simulation and training of radiographers and emergency workers in the nuclear industry. This training platform gives a 3D real-life training scenarios, emergency simulation, command and dispatch, Process record and evaluation in exercise with virtual reality display for radiological worker. This paper elaborates on the process for scenario design, types of scenario development for different types of radiological accidents and the stages involved in training with these scenarios.


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