Pro-nuclear European discourses: Socio-semiotic observations

Abstract

This article is focused on some recent examples of 'nuclear discourse', with a specific reference to the civil use of nuclear power in order to produce energy. The basic aim of this article is dual-fold. From a methodological point of view, I want to show an example of the application of a specific form of semiotic analysis (linked to the 'continental' tradition of structural analysis) to contemporary communication forms and supports. In this way, semiotics appears as a specific form of qualitative analysis, aimed at the understanding of meaning production by social actors on the basis of 'signs' (significant objects such as paper and electronic texts) that are produced and exchanged. From the point of view of the subject under analysis, I want to present some observations on recent pro-nuclear rhetorical forms, which have emerged in Europe in the last two years, before and after the tragedy of Fukushima. I analyse different types of texts, in particular videos and websites. The analysis of the 'internal' organization of texts is combined with attention to the context of their production.tradition of structural analysis) to contemporary communication forms and supports. In this way, semiotics will appear as a specific form of qualitative analysis, aimed at the understanding of meaning production by social actors on the basis of 'signs' (significant objects such as paper and electronic texts) that are produced and exchanged. From the point of view of the subject under analysis, I want to present some observations on recent pro-nuclear rhetorical forms, which have emerged in Europe in the last two years, before and after the tragedy of Fukushima.The basic hypothesis of this article is that contemporary European forms of discourse on nuclear (civil) power present two phenomena that the American scholar W. Kinsella (2005) identified in the case of nuclear communication in the USA as: a tendency to the 'disempowerment' of the public, and the construction of a 'modernistic' basic narrative. The first term indicates the fact that texts and communication tend to present nuclear power as a subject out of the control and intervention of normal citizens, excluding a real participation in decisions about its development (or elimination). Communication forms on nuclear power tend to narrow down spaces for discussion and debate among different opinions. The second expression means that nuclear power is also presented as the protagonist of a positive story, as a source of evolution towards the development of humanity, with a strong link to the ideology of enlightenment (exaltation of science, reason and optimism about the future, which will be better than the past thanks to technology). The question that we should be asking is: Are contemporary pro-nuclear discourses in Europe, and in particular in countries such as France, Italy and Belgium, examples of disempowerment and of a 'modernistic' basic narrative?In order to answer this question, I decided to adopt a qualitative semiotic approach, so as to identify and analyse signif...

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“…Our study joins the emerging stream of research focusing on the industrial efforts to shape public understanding of the risks of nuclear power (Weart, 1988; MacKenzie, 1990; Sagan, 1993; Clarke, 2001; Macfarlane, 2003) and on pro-nuclear storytelling (Kinsella, 2005; Anshelm, 2010; Catellani, 2012). The previous literature describes how in pro-nuclear storytelling the industry typically builds on the basic modernistic narrative drawing on the ideology of the Enlightenment.…”

“…Catellani (2012) has analyzed the promotion of nuclear power in what he calls “nuclear texts”. He argues that contemporary European forms of discourse on nuclear power show a tendency towards “disempowerment” of the public and the construction of a “modernistic” basic narrative.…”

“…He argues that contemporary European forms of discourse on nuclear power show a tendency towards “disempowerment” of the public and the construction of a “modernistic” basic narrative. Catellani (2012) suggests that the texts by the industry tend to present nuclear power as a subject beyond the control and intervention of lay people. Thus the texts exclude critical discussion and public participation in serious decisions.…”

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