Open AccessRadiophobia and Trauma: Examining the Lasting Effects of the Fukushima Nuclear Disaster
Author(s) -
Lydiarose Mockensturm
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
international researchscape journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2372-1774
DOI - 10.25035/irj.02.01.06
Subject(s) - nuclear disaster , distrust , government (linguistics) , fukushima nuclear accident , media coverage , political science , displacement (psychology) , nuclear plant , history , psychology , nuclear power plant , engineering , sociology , media studies , physics , nuclear physics , nuclear engineering , law , psychoanalysis , linguistics , philosophy
The Fukushima nuclear disaster of March 2011 – unlike the earthquake and tsunami leading up to it – was not experienced directly or immediately for many. Its effects were, however, experienced belatedly, in the form of displacement and radiophobia, which have had a significant psychological impact on survivors. Moreover, excessive media coverage of the disaster allowed it to have a global impact not seen during previous nuclear disasters. Shion Sono’s film The Land of Hope, released in Japan in October of 2012, helps to illustrate the traumatic nature of a nuclear crisis through issues such as dislocation, media coverage, radiophobia, and distrust of the government.