CfP: Atoms for Peace In Europe Around the Globe Conference/Workshop in Barcelona
This
is a call for paper proposals for a conference on the Atoms for Peace
era (ca. 1954-1965). The general focus of this conference is on
public/society -- industry/government interactions. We are interested
in papers that go beyond single country surveys to consider
transnational, bilateral and multilateral connections, including the
role of international organizations; comparative studies; analysis of
areas of nuclear science and geographic regions less studied; and
cultural manifestations. In this workshop, we seek to go beyond
national origin stories to produce an innovative group of articles for
publication. Papers should be based on primary sources including
archival materials.
US
President Dwight D. Eisenhower announced the Atoms for Peace initiative
in a speech to the United Nations in December 1953. His goals were to
encourage a broad array of peaceful atomic programs (agricultural,
industrial, medical, power production, transport); temper rising Cold
War tensions; promote American businesses engaged in nuclear energy; and
to provide an opportunity to demonstrate the superiority of the
capitalist system over the socialist one. The Soviet Union was prepared
for this contest.
In this conference we
shall explore the new public light that was shed on nuclear technology.
Scientists and engineers flocked to the Geneva conferences of 1955,
1958, and 1964, enthused to have the chance to exchange information on
many aspects of nuclear technology and the nuclear fuel cycle. (The
workings and effects of nuclear weapons remained secret.) In magazines,
journals, newspapers and films, citizens learned of their efforts. The
US, the USSR, and other nuclear powers established carefully managed
efforts to propagandize the benefits of nuclear energy to national
audiences and to the world at large. Nuclear power in the Atoms for
Peace era thus became a product of public-science and public-state
interactions.
We invite
papers that consider the above themes as well as the following
questions: How important was government financial and regulatory
support for Atoms for Peace era nuclear programs? How did government
and industry engage the public? What kinds of status accrued to new
nuclear states? In what ways did the transnational flow of raw
materials, technologies, expertise and training programs change during
the Atoms for Peace era? What impact did new nuclear programs have on
those of the nuclear enterprise in established North American, European
and Soviet programs? How did security and secrecy concerns play out in
Atoms for Peace?
Proposals for papers (an abstract of 300 words and a currents CV) should be sent to Matt Adamson at mhadamson@mcdaniel.hu no later than December 24, 2017. Contact Matt Adamson or Paul Josephson at prjoseph@colby.edu
with any questions. Financing for this conference comes from the
HoNEST (History of Nuclear Energy and Society project funded by the
Euratom Research and Training Programme 2014-2018 under grant agreement
No. 662268. HoNEST will support travel to Barcelona, lodging, and local meals.
Contact Email: mhadamson@mcdaniel.hu