Crises and Technological Futures: Experiences, Emotion, and Action

Abstract

We have grown accustomed to the near-constant invocation of "crisis" as part of our everyday media consumption. During periods of insecurity, historically contingent crisis imaginaries tend to evolve, linking developments in the historical present to cultural memories of a fearful past and visions of an unwanted future. A historical understanding of these imaginaries, along with their societal and material aftermath-including their impact in relation to political choice and decision-making-is imperative for the history of technology. This article aims to problematize the complex relationship between crisis imaginaries and technological futures acknowledging the triple temporality of crises. In order to shed light on the rich potential of historical research into the entanglements of past-and futureoriented crisis narratives, we exemplify this approach in three empirical research themes: security and the experience of past and future; fears as drivers of technological development; political decision-making and the future of space mining.

Bank Crisis Management Strategies for Leveraging Effective Performance of the Barbados’ Banking Institutions in Times of Crisis

“…Situational assessment requires evaluation of how the bank was previously performing by analysing its financial statements to discern how its overall financial performance, liquidity and profitability have been affected by the crisis. Such analysis is important for discerning operational modifications that must be undertaken to bolster a bank's seamless operation during the crisis (Altman, 2013;Kalmbach et al, 2020). It enables the identification of the financial products and services that must be eliminated, combined or increased to respond to the changes induced by the crisis.…”

Normalising Nuclear War: Narrative Scenarios, Imaginative Geographies and Sites of Leisure in 1950s Britain

“…As other contributors to this book note, imaginaries have the potential to 'shape meaning and behaviour', and it is important to analyse the cultural components that enable this. 7 Perhaps most closely aligned to the approach in this chapter is a recent attempt to trace the 'intricate relationship between technology and social change in relation to cultural memory and cultural perceptions' (Kalmbach et al 2020), especially also considering their contention that it is often fear that provides the impetus for technological development.…”

Nuclear Power in Times of International Insecurity and Environmental Crisis

“…What exactly do these other nations desire if not liberal democratic governance? Amidst the current state of uncertainty and in a real competition with no clear winner, the time has come for a comparison, namely between the risks of using nuclear energy and the risks of not using it (Kalmbach, et al 2020). This reassessment will highlight the previously disregarded advantages of nuclear energy.…”