Tracing the Atom: Nuclear Legacies in Russia and Central Asia

This book explores nuclear legacies in Russia and Central Asia, focusing on understudied sites of the Soviet atomic program. It examines memory practices and memorialization, historical and contemporary engagements with nuclear politics, and the role of radiation expertise in the Cold War. It brings together a range of disciplines to offer insights into twentieth-century atomic programs and their long aftermaths.

Format: Hardback
Length: 220 pages
Publication date: 04 April 2022
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

This captivating book delves into the profound nuclear legacies that have left their mark on Russia and Central Asia, with a specific focus on the understudied sites of the Soviet atomic program. The pursuit of nuclear operations, whether for energy or military purposes, necessitated a vast infrastructure of production and supply chains that reshaped entire regions. Contributors to this insightful exploration meticulously trace the material traces of these atomic programs, paying close attention to memory practices and memorialization related to nuclear legacies.

Tracing the Atom takes readers on a journey through historical and contemporary engagements with nuclear politics. It explores how institutions and governments have responded to the legacies of the atomic era, how communities and artists express their concerns about radioactive matters, and the role of radiation expertise in the broader context of the Cold War. By examining nuclear legacies alongside past atomic futures and post-Soviet memorialization and nuclear heritage, this volume sheds light on the intricate intersections between modes of knowing, livelihoods, compensation policies, and historiography.

This comprehensive volume brings together a diverse range of disciplines, including history, science and technology studies, social anthropology, literary studies, and art history. By integrating these perspectives, it offers invaluable insights that deepen our understanding of twentieth-century atomic programs and their far-reaching consequences. Through its rich narratives, detailed analysis, and interdisciplinary approach, Tracing the Atom provides a valuable contribution to the field of nuclear studies and beyond.

Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032160504