What is nuclear cultural heritage? Developing an analytical framework

Nuclear cultural heritage (NCH) is a relatively new approach. It was introduced by Rindzevičiūtė (2019) and is being discussed internationally with reference to its contribution to knowledge preservation of nuclear objects and practices as well as safety aspects, especially in the context of nuclear waste governance. The latter includes knowledge transfer to future generations in the sense that knowledge of nuclear objects and practices might be further developed and could be applied as well in future. This is particularly relevant as nuclear technology is hazardous to the living environment and endures for very long periods of time. The great impacts on landscapes and the living environment are demonstrated by experiences with nuclear accidents, nuclear weapon tests, the storage and disposal of nuclear wastes, and uranium mining. One reason for the upcoming interest in NCH is the decommissioning of nuclear power plants and siting and construction of nuclear waste repositories. With this article, we aim to provide an analytical framework for understanding, identifying and studying NCH. Firstly, we discuss the specificities of NCH in reference to cultural heritage and overlaps with or added values of related approaches. This includes energy cultures, sociotechnical and spatial imaginaries as well as concepts related to place and remembrance. We then specify four key elements as part of a broader conceptualization of NCH: temporality, spatiality, (im)materiality, and institutionalization. These are central to the analytical framework that is presented, in a final step, with notes on possible methodological approaches.