Greifswald 2024 – scientific programme

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SYAN: Symposium How to Cope with Apocalyptic Narratives?

SYAN 1: How to Cope with Apocalyptic Narratives?

SYAN 1.2: Invited Talk

Monday, February 26, 2024, 14:40–15:20, ELP 6: HS 4

Shaping Cold War Futures through the Nuclear Winter Study: Narratives, Imaginaries and Legitimacy — •Egle Rindzeviciute — Kingston University, London, United Kingdom

This talk explores the narratives and imaginaries that were produced by the East and West scientists engaged in the computer simulation of the environmental effects of nuclear war (1982-1990s). It reflects on the spatialities, temporalities and agencies that were attributed to human and non-human actors. Whereas this modelling exercise was heuristic, it was deployed as part of political argumentation calling for nuclear disarmament and arms control. This raises important questions of the public perception of computer modelling, scientific prediction and performativity of scientific knowledge.

Keywords: History of Physics; Nuclear Winter