CEU Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2015
| Author | Culibrk, Jelena |
|---|---|
| Title | Aliens at Harwell: British representations of nuclear science and nuclear scientists, 1945-1961 |
| Summary | In this dissertation, I study the representations of nuclear science and nuclear scientists in the early British post-war environment. Temporal framework is from the explosion of Hiroshima and Nagasaki atomic bombs in 1945 to 1961, when the public‘s fascination over nuclear energy decreased. How did nuclear science go from awe and horror of Nagasaki and Hiroshima bombings to the humanizing and peaceful application of nuclear energy? I restrict the study to the production of Harwell‘s space, British ―hub‖ for post-war nuclear research, and John Cockcroft‘s image, Harwell‘s first director. I draw my methodology from current historiography that argues for an equal study of both verbal and visual historical reminiscence. In a comparative study of governmental documents, newspapers, pamphlets, news photography, newsreels and 1950s science fiction cinema, I weave complex representations of the British nuclear project. Although this is a micro history of a single British nuclear research establishment, this thesis argues that Harwell and Cockcroft were used as markers for the British nuclear program. The British post-war government (Labour and Conservative) were interested in guiding and securing the representations of this formidable national project in order to display British post-war competence and scientific excellence. ―Aliens at Harwell‖ shows how the representations of British nuclear science and nuclear scientists were positive and served to ease the British public‘s perplexities over nuclear energy. Furthermore, these representations served as recruitment tools for the young science graduates who were lamenting on the changing post-war scientific environment. |
| Supervisor | Hall, Karl |
| Department | History MA |
| Full text | https://www.etd.ceu.edu/2015/culibrk_jelena.pdf |
Visit the CEU Library.
© 2007-2021, Central European University