Hidden Vulnerability in the Fukushima Meltdown: A Sociotechnical Perspective

In this MTA Seminar, special guest Sulfikar Amir will discuss how vulnerability became hidden in the Fukushima nuclear power station and how that led to a meltdown after the nuclear power facility was struck by a tsunami. Using the sociotechnical perspective, the presentation examines the implication of the Fukushima reactor design on the ability of the system to withstand the shock. A broader analysis on the institutional structure of the Japanese nuclear industry is also presented to show how vulnerability was a product of institutionalised ignorance.