Fallout from Fukushima: Nuclear Energy, Political Positioning, Civil Society and Social Consequences

Mar 11, 2014 from 4pm -6pm
HSD Building, Room A240
University of Victoria, Victoria, BC

On March 11, 2011, a magnitude-9 earthquake shook northeastern Japan, unleashing a tsunami, resulting in a humanitarian and environmental crisis. The Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant suffered a level 7 nuclear meltdown after the tsunami, and many of the country’s nuclear reactors remain closed because of stricter seismic safety standards. Three years later, local residents are still recovering from the disaster and questions remain about the implications for the lives of people around the world. This event’s interdisciplinary panel will explore the complexities of the Japanese economic and political establishment, the role of civil society actors and activists, and the scientific discourse surrounding the disaster. This panel provides an opportunity for discussion, information dissemination and access to facts about Fukushima radiation and fallout from the disaster.

Moderator: Cody Poulton, Professor, Pacific and Asian Studies, UVic

Panelists include: Scott Aalgaard, PhD Student, University of Chicago;  Jay Cullen, Associate Professor, Department of Earth and Ocean Science , UVic; Katsuhiko Endo, Assistant Professor, Pacific and Asian Studies, UVic and Chris Garrett, Professor Emeritus, Ocean Physics, UVic.

To see Jay Cullen's presentation, click here.