Micro-Politics of Radiation

Slater, David; Morioka, Rika; Danzuka, Haruka

doi:10.1080/14672715.2014.935138

Cited by 30 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 33 publications

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“…With reference to the work of Jobin (2006Jobin ( , 2014 on the Minamata disaster, we can consider that the victims of the Fukushima disaster also look for "symbolic recognition" in order to "repair" the physical violence and the symbolic violence that they have suffered since 2011: physical violence, due to the destruction of their natural and cultural environment because of the radioactive contamination and of the latent threat to their health from lowdose radiation; symbolic violence, due to the tensions at several levels that they face in their daily life (Slater et al, 2014;Sung et al, 2015). This goes along with "structural violence" (Galtung, 1969) which takes its form in the reconstruction policy, and which leads the victims of the Fukushima disaster to also become the victims of "social abuse" (shakaiteki gyakutai) (Tsujiuchi, 2016).…”

Section: Giving Meaning To the Disaster Towards Resiliencementioning

confidence: 99%

Reconstruction and resilience after Fukushima: A critical analysis of nuclear risk and disaster

Kojima

2023

Japanese Journal of Sociology

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This article revisits the concept of reconstruction in light of the Fukushima nuclear accident on March 11, 2011. It also offers an analysis of the reconstruction policy launched by the Japanese authorities in the context of the risk due to low-dose radiation. What does reconstruction mean after this nuclear disaster? What kind of reconstruction is considered possible in the contaminated territories by those affected by this disaster and confronted with this long-term health and environmental risk? To answer these questions, this article first examines the concept of reconstruction-very close to that of resilience in the Japanese context-which has sparked a controversy within the social sciences, at both national and international level. Second, based on more than 100 interviews conducted between 2013 and 2016 across the entire Nippon archipelago, this article analyzes the reconstruction policy's socio-cultural consequences on the victims of this disaster who leave, stay or return to the contaminated territories. Finally, it proposes a new approach to the reconstruction of Fukushima, one which would support the process of resilience at the individual and collective levels.

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Section: Giving Meaning To the Disaster Towards Resiliencementioning

confidence: 99%

Reconstruction and resilience after Fukushima: A critical analysis of nuclear risk and disaster

Kojima

2023

Japanese Journal of Sociology

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“…The push forward is resonated in catchy slogans, such as "Let's fight, Fukushima" and "Let's support Fukushima," urging consumers to buy local produce. However, the single direction chosen by the Japanese government leaves little space for citizens to voice concerns over long-term effects, and cuts short the debate on safety standards (Slater et al 2014;Hirakawa and Shirabe 2015;Kimura 2016).…”

Section: Local Government's Responsibilities In Post-fukushima Recons...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Living Apart Together: Local Governments and Citizen Radiation Measuring Organizations After Fukushima

Kenens

Abelshausen

Turcanu

et al. 2022

Citizen Science: Theory and Practice

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Since the Fukushima nuclear accident, dozens of citizen radiation measuring organizations (CRMOs) continue to observe the nuclear fallout in Japan. Their activities intersect on a regular basis with those of the Japanese government. Recognizing the different policy levels involved in radiation measuring, this paper studies the relations between local governments and CRMOs. We examine how civic and governmental infrastructures initiated in the wake of the Fukushima accident (dis)engage with each other. We link these infrastructures with pre-and post-Fukushima socio-technical imaginaries. By doing so, we explore whether and how CRMOs challenge and reconfigure political culture in post-Fukushima Japan. We conclude that CRMOs and local governments have established themselves as separate infrastructures, living and operating in the same environment, yet apart in the majority of cases. We identify obstacles and opportunities for citizen engagement in the emergency and recovery process after a nuclear accident, and contextualize CRMOs within citizen mobilization after Fukushima. Document analysis, fieldwork, and interviews with CRMOs, local governments, and the Fukushima prefectural government make up the basis of our study.

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“…And second, tellingly, it was not obvious if engagement in community energy was perceived as activism, civil society participation, or a job. Drawing on Pierre Bourdieu, David Slater et al argue that women in Japan engage in ‘classification struggles’ to craft a legitimate position from which to speak in a community and nomenclature, where little space is available for engagement [ 11 ]. My informants swiftly obscured my attempts to classify what it is they are doing.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Schieder defines activism as the engagement by non-institutional actors to bring about social change [ 4 ]. In Japan, multiple words are used for activism, such as Undō -ka (originating from the 1960s militant protests), Katsudō-ka (drawing on the word activity rather than protest, and widely associated with community-based projects), and Akuteibisuto [a loan word written in katakana, implying work with NPOs (non-profit organizations)] [ 11 ]. However, Slater et al note, that all these versions are generally seen as too extreme [ 11 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In Japan, multiple words are used for activism, such as Undō -ka (originating from the 1960s militant protests), Katsudō-ka (drawing on the word activity rather than protest, and widely associated with community-based projects), and Akuteibisuto [a loan word written in katakana, implying work with NPOs (non-profit organizations)] [ 11 ]. However, Slater et al note, that all these versions are generally seen as too extreme [ 11 ]. Thus, while informants used their time to make a positive impact on their localities and wider communities, they always evaded classifying these actions or accepting any identity markers that these actions might entail.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Aging into tricksters: a qualitative study of women’s positioning and leadership in solar energy communities in Japan

Lazoroska

2023

Energ Sustain Soc

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Background Since the 1960s, women’s social and political engagement in Japan has been closely tied to the roles of mothers and housewives. On the other hand, the country is undergoing considerable demographic changes and has come to be considered an aging society, where an increasing number of women are opting out of marriage and child-rearing. Drawing from qualitative research with women in managerial positions in solar energy communities, this article explores the complex maneuvers informants conducted to fulfill their goal: the expansion of renewable energy in Japan. Results The empirical findings point to a new, and underexplored perspective: of aging as a catalyzer for transgressing certain norms and expectations on female behavior in the context of grassroots mobilization. Aging tends to be axiomatically represented as a time of decline, and unidirectional consumption of communal resources. I examine how transitioning from life stages centered on careers and child-rearing offers resources that my informants draw on to sustain their engagement in solar energy communities. I further examine how my informants carefully, and paradoxically, navigate gendered expectations by actively appealing to dominant narratives on women: as attentive communicators attuned to the needs of others. Conclusions The article provides suggestions for further diversifying Japan’s community energy landscape, such as (a) increasing awareness of inequalities through open discussion on the topic; (b) gender-inclusive quotas on boards; (c) creating peer-mentoring networks; (d) stimulating a culture of dialogue open to dissensus; (e) shifting the focus away from women needing to make behavioral changes; and (f) not idealizing how much can be achieved without generating discomfort.

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Micro-Politics of Radiation

Cited by 30 publications

References 33 publications

Reconstruction and resilience after Fukushima: A critical analysis of nuclear risk and disaster

Reconstruction and resilience after Fukushima: A critical analysis of nuclear risk and disaster

Living Apart Together: Local Governments and Citizen Radiation Measuring Organizations After Fukushima

Aging into tricksters: a qualitative study of women’s positioning and leadership in solar energy communities in Japan

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