Nuclear risk perception in La Hague: An integration of sociological risk theories

Résumé du document

Risk and uncertainty issues are especially distinct in the case of nuclear energy. Nuclear energy, as one of the symbols of the technological development of modern societies, is controversial in its nature. On the one hand, it was created to enable the unlimited production of energy, but on the other hand, nuclear energy creates a new kind of global risks to humanity and environment. The struggle over social priorities is revealed through the nuclear energy discourse that raises question, whether the criteria of economic rationality should be put forward the security imperative. In La Hague, the risk, uncertainty and rationality issues are revealed in nuclear power discourse about la COGEMA. The COGEMA La Hague site is a nuclear fuel reprocessing plant on the French Cotentin Peninsula that currently has nearly half of the world's light water reactor spent nuclear fuel reprocessing capacity.

Extraits

[...] In the case of nuclear installations in La Hague, the polemic was largely media covered, but the reactions of local populations in real catch with the danger remain little known. Those consider themselves as individually or collectively exposed to the operations of production which would bring threats and dangers. A new form of vulnerability and a position of brittleness emerge. Nuclear power is everywhere: contamination or physical irradiation risk but also infiltration in the local society which has become a nuclear society Indeed, nuclear enables to revivify villages exposed to the rural migration risk, thanks to taxes transfers, installations financing, and the maintenance of the purification network or more visible urban equipment like halls sports or public lightings which allow industry to acquire innocence. [...]

[...] Besides, among the judged public organizations most qualified scientifically features COGEMA. The local councilors are considered, by less than of the local population, as legitimate actors to account for nuclear information of the local population consider that "the local councilors too easy with nuclear power industrials' interests to the detriment of the population's safety". However, more investigated people are geographically close to nuclear installations, less they estimate that the industrialists are spared by elected officials whom they legitimate and to which they grant their confidence. [...]

[...] s Nuclear risk perception in La Hague: an integration of sociological risk theories Introduction I. Nuclear risk perception: methodological models; a. The notion of “social risk perception”; b. Explaining factors that influence social risk perception; General view of the nuclear fuel reprocessing plant COGEMA/AREVA NC- La Hague, Cherbourg, France II. Nuclear risk perception in La Hague: empirical research; a. The determination of La Hague risk perception; b. The perception of nuclear risk in La Hague: perspectives; Conclusion Bibliography - M. [...]

[...] But if the nuclear power scares estimate that research effort of must be continued. It is important to notice that only of the French population would be ready to settle close to a site of radioactive waste even if the nuclear energy remains perceived like a realistic choice among the principal sources of energy by 60% of French. The Hague's "nuclear ooze" could be the subject of an analysis around the concept of "peripheralisation". Actually, the social perception of the industrial risk is made of a curious amalgam where history, economy and politics mix with the crises of confidence, with the dissimilar medical evaluations, built either by industrialists, scientists, elected officials, employees or the population. [...]

[...] Both objectivist and subjectivist risk notion has proponents in sociological theory but risk is generally known as a social construct. According to P. Slovic, modern societies face risk in three fundamental dimensions that are observable in the case of nuclear risk perception: the individual level can be indicated as risk as feeling (intuitive reactions to danger), in expert nuclear risk management it is revealed as risk as analysis (brings logic, reason and scientific deliberation), and in political discourse emotional and technical aspects of nuclear risk are integrated into risk as politics dimension. [...]