"All in all, Augustine does not only provide a fascinating, well-written and insightful integrated history of Germany's variegated engagement with nuclear power. She also makes important contributions to cultural history, the transnational history of (counter-)expertise, the history of (new) social movements as well as the history of science and "public technology."...the book deserves a wide readership." ? Sehepunkte
"Augustine's thoughtful history contains useful chapter introductions and conclusions... [It offers an] engaging and important story at the heart of the book. As Augustine reminds readers, the story she tells has an open ending. In the era of climate change, as governments struggle to lower greenhouse gas emissions, the future of nuclear power in Germany remains undecided." ? German History
"Impressively up-to-date, this volume's attention to media and public opinion makes it a valuable analysis of the interrelationship between science and social protest." ? Timothy Scott Brown, Northeastern University
"This study of utopian visions, scientific expertise, state power, and public protest is a crucial contribution to the history of nuclear power - and public concerns about science generally. Focusing on a divided Germany after the war until unification and the present, Augustine explores surprising similarities in the embrace of nuclear power in capitalism and socialism, including transnational aspects of the two German programs under American and Soviet influence, and unquestioned state support. If at first state- and industry-supported notions of technological progress and a higher standard of living prevailed, then criticism burst forth over worries of catastrophic accidents, even before Three Mile Island and Chernobyl. In West Germany, many citizens rejected the nuclear alliance between the political authorities, the nuclear industry, and technical-scientific experts un-democratic and even authoritarian. They insisted that safety issues were not only technical but normative. Eventually, violent protest shook the nation. Even in the East, brave citizens also came to worry about nuclear power. Ultimately, Germany has rejected nuclear power, and readers will understand why." ? Paul Josephson, Colby College
