The inter- and multi-disciplinary project on “Fukushima and Chernobyl: Comparing the Social and Cultural Dimensions of the two Nuclear Catastrophes” aims at a comparison of two nuclear “accidents” which represent dramatic turning points in recent history. Specialists on Eastern Europe and Japan whose fields of research are philosophy, politics, sociology and human geography as well as media and literary studies look at the events from the perspective of their respective disciplines. Starting with a conference on the subject in March 2012, the goal is to analyse the role of the media and the reactions of intellectuals to the nuclear disasters in Russia (1986) and Japan (2011). Political and social developments in the post-Chernobyl and post-Fukushima era will also be discussed. At the core of the project are questions about the ethics of technology, a critical public and the re-politicizing of societies. Attention will also be given to the political and cultural conditions confronting possible initiatives for ensuring a sustainable future.

The principal investigators on this project are Lisette Gebhardt (Japanology) und Thomas Feldhoff (IZO Coordinator).

Recent activities and funding:

• Successful applications to the Japan Foundation, the Fritz Thyssen Foundation and the Nakama Fund of the Goethe University for the funding of the international conference.
• On-going preparations for the publication of the proceedings of the conference in an edited volume.
• Dissemination of research findings: conference presentations, journal and book publications