The Technocratic Culture Behind Chernobyl’s Disaster

Recently my new article about nuclear Ukraine was published. In this article, I am using a technocratic culture perspective to analyse what was going on at Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant before that fateful night in April 1986, when reactor block four exploded.

New Publication: Exploring Chernobyl’s Connection to Dnieper Hydropower

Today my article “Joining the Dnieper Cascade. An Envirotechnical Water-History of Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, 1927-1986” was published online in the journal Water History. I am really happy that this was possible. You should check it out! Unsurprisingly, I am indebted to so many people who supported me during the four years this little projectContinue reading “New Publication: Exploring Chernobyl’s Connection to Dnieper Hydropower”

The 39th Anniversary of the Chernobyl Catastrophe in a World Blind to Environmental Concerns

Unfortunately, I am getting a bit angry at society at large during these last months. Sure, there were many larger and smaller political issues that demanded time and attention from everyone. Lest we forget that there is a brutal war going on in Ukraine, Palestine, Yemen, and unfortunately many other parts of this world. ButContinue reading “The 39th Anniversary of the Chernobyl Catastrophe in a World Blind to Environmental Concerns”

Tensions of Europe is coming up!

*Update: Unfortunately I was forced to cancel my in-person-participation at the conference due to urgent private matters that reached me yesterday night. I will be giving the presentation remotely via Zoom. (As of 2024-09-18)* In already two weeks we are going to meet in Frankfurt (Oder) for the next Tensions of Europe conference, discussing tonsContinue reading “Tensions of Europe is coming up!”

Remembering Chernobyl

Today is the 38th anniversary of the Chernobyl catastrophe, which began on 26 April 1986 at 1.23 am. At the moment it is impossible to remember what happened at the downstream end of the Pripyat River without thinking about the horrible war taking place in Ukraine. What we witness right now has never happened before:Continue reading “Remembering Chernobyl”

New Publication: Public History in Action

Resulting from an exciting PhD-course on Public Humanities at Uppsala University, headed by Maria Ågren and Sven Widmalm, recently an edited volume on public history was published. When I came to the office a couple of weeks ago, I found a handful of freshly printed copies, which made me very happy! In “Public History inContinue reading “New Publication: Public History in Action”

ESEH 2023 in Bern: Panel on “Nuclear Environments”

Right now I am sitting in a study room at a hotel in Bern. The Suisse capital is beautiful. At the moment we are living through a heat wave that at least for me is the hottest I have felt this summer. I guess that is no surprise, given the fact that I am regularlyContinue reading “ESEH 2023 in Bern: Panel on “Nuclear Environments””