Post-industrial Landscape Scars (palgrave Studies In The History Of Science And Technology)

An exploration of the flipside of industrial materiality in the shape of contamination, abandonment and dramatic landscape transformation. Post-industrial Landscape Scars Are Traces Of 20th Century Utopian Visions Of Society; They Relate To Fear And Resistance Expressed By Popular Movements And To Relations Between Industrial Workers And Those In Power. The Metaphor Of The Scar Pinpoints The Inherent Ambiguity Of Memory Work By Signifying Both Positive And Negative Experiences, As Well As The Contemporary Challenges Of Living With These Physical And Mental Marks. In This Book, Anna Storm Explores Post-industrial Landscape Scars Caused By Nuclear Power Production, Mining, And Iron And Steel Industry In Malmberget, Kiruna, Barsebäck And Avesta In Sweden; Ignalina And Visaginas/sniečkus In Lithuania/former Soviet Union; And Duisburg In The Ruhr District Of Germany. The Scars Are Shaped By Time And Geographical Scale; They Carry The Vestiges Of Life And Work, Of Community Spirit And Hope, Of Betrayed Dreams And Repressive Hierarchical Structures. What Is Critical, Storm Concludes, Is The Search For A Legitimate Politics Of Memory. The Meanings Of The Scars Must Be Acknowledged. Past And Present Experiences Must Be Shared In Order Shape New Understandings Of Old Places. Unstable Mountain -- Distance Of Fear -- Lost Utopia -- Industrial Nature -- Enduring Spirit -- Prospective Scars Unfolding. Anna Storm. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. The book will identify landscape scars as significant contemporary cultural tools for memory work and future orientation. The metaphor 'landscape scars' highlights the flipside of industrial materiality in the shape of contamination, abandonment and dramatic landscape transformation. Landscape scars are examined as possible sites of healing and reconciliation as well as important triggers of heritage, memory and identity. The empirical basis is original research focusing on a number of selected sites, primarily in northern Europe. The contemporary situations in each of these places form a point of departure, while the historical perspective is decisive for the book's narrative and analysis Front Matter....Pages i-xvii Introduction....Pages 1-19 Unstable Mountain....Pages 21-45 Distance of Fear....Pages 47-73 Lost Utopia....Pages 75-99 Industrial Nature....Pages 101-126 Enduring Spirit....Pages 127-151 Prospective Scars Unfolding....Pages 153-158 Back Matter....Pages 159-227