Overview

This book offers a comprehensive assessment of the dynamics driving, and constraining, nuclear power development in Asia, Europe and North America, providing detailed comparative analysis. Starting with a close examination of the evolution of nuclear energy in France, the book formulates a socio-political economy theory which highlights the six factors necessary for embarking on nuclear power programs: (1) strong state involvement in guiding economic growth, (2) centralization of national energy planning, (3) campaigns to link technological progress to a national revitalization, (4) influence of technocratic ideology on policy decisions, (5) subordination of opposition to political authority, and (6) low levels of civic activism are necessary conditions for nuclear power development. The book verifies the causal properties of these six catalysts for nuclear power expansion in the four Asian countries attempting to embrace it--China, India, Japan, and South Korea -- and then contrasts these examples with three comparatively democratic countries where nuclear power development has staggered: Canada, the former Soviet Union, and the USA. It validates the framework by confirming the presence of the six catalysts during the initial nuclear power developmental periods in all eight countries, and then applies this framework as a predictive tool to evaluate contemporary nuclear power trends. It concludes by discussing what this theory of nuclear socio-political economy means for developed and developing countries (such as Australia, Indonesia or Vietnam) which exhibit the potential for nuclear development on a major scale and how the new a*'renaissance' of nuclear power may affect the promotion of renewable energy, global energy security and development policy as a whole. This book will be of interest to students of energy policy and security, nuclear proliferation, international security, global governance and IR in general.

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9780415688703

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Reviews

All too often, discussions about whether or not a country might embark on or expand nuclear power revolve around projections of electricity and energy demand into the (far) future and the falling reserves of fossil fuels. In some cases, speculations about whether the country might be harboring nuclear weapon ambitions play a part. But, as Sovacool and Valentine argue convincingly, a great many other considerations play important roles in determining the trajectory of nuclear power in countries. This line of inquiry is vitally important today as nuclear power faces an uncertain - and geographically diverse - future in the aftermath of the Fukushima accidents. -- M. V. Ramana, Princeton University, USA This timely and original book develops a socio-political economic theory to explore the continuing fascination and commitment to nuclear energy in eight countries in Asia, Europe and North America. It is a book that must be read by all those - professionals, politician, academics and citizens - fascinated by the present dilemmas and future prospects of nuclear power. -- Andrew Blowers, Open University, UK In their holistic investigation of the myriad factors that give rise to nuclear energy programs and that sustain them over time Sovacool and Valentine have filled a major lacuna in the literature on nuclear power. Too often the discourse is dominated by economists and energy analysts who neglect the bigger picture. Political, social and cultural drivers and constraints can be just as determinative as the price of uranium or the overnight costs of building a nuclear power plant. By adopting an inductive, grounded, comparative case studies of eight leading nuclear energy countries the two authors not only illuminate commonalities but provide valuable insights into the unique characteristics of each case. -- Trevor Findlay, Harvard University, USA A salient contribution to the field, Sovacool and Valentine provide a novel interdisciplinary analysis encompassing a wide range of social, political, market and ideological factors affecting the development and deployment of nuclear technology.aa The comprehensive approach gives readers an exceptionally clear assessment of how nuclear power has developed, and continues to evolve, in a variety of different markets. -- Antony Froggatt, Chatham House, London, UK.

All too often, discussions about whether or not a country might embark on or expand nuclear power revolve around projections of electricity and energy demand into the (far) future and the falling reserves of fossil fuels. In some cases, speculations about whether the country might be harboring nuclear weapon ambitions play a part. But, as Sovacool and Valentine argue convincingly, a great many other considerations play important roles in determining the trajectory of nuclear power in countries. This line of inquiry is vitally important today as nuclear power faces an uncertain - and geographically diverse - future in the aftermath of the Fukushima accidents. -- M. V. Ramana, Princeton University, USA This timely and original book develops a socio-political economic theory to explore the continuing fascination and commitment to nuclear energy in eight countries in Asia, Europe and North America. It is a book that must be read by all those - professionals, politician, academics and citizens - fascinated by the present dilemmas and future prospects of nuclear power. -- Andrew Blowers, Open University, UK In their holistic investigation of the myriad factors that give rise to nuclear energy programs and that sustain them over time Sovacool and Valentine have filled a major lacuna in the literature on nuclear power. Too often the discourse is dominated by economists and energy analysts who neglect the bigger picture. Political, social and cultural drivers and constraints can be just as determinative as the price of uranium or the overnight costs of building a nuclear power plant. By adopting an inductive, grounded, comparative case studies of eight leading nuclear energy countries the two authors not only illuminate commonalities but provide valuable insights into the unique characteristics of each case. -- Trevor Findlay, Harvard University, USA A salient contribution to the field, Sovacool and Valentine provide a novel interdisciplinary analysis encompassing a wide range of social, political, market and ideological factors affecting the development and deployment of nuclear technology. The comprehensive approach gives readers an exceptionally clear assessment of how nuclear power has developed, and continues to evolve, in a variety of different markets. -- Antony Froggatt, Chatham House, London, UK.

All too often, discussions about whether or not a country might embark on or expand nuclear power revolve around projections of electricity and energy demand into the (far) future and the falling reserves of fossil fuels. In some cases, speculations about whether the country might be harboring nuclear weapon ambitions play a part. But, as Sovacool and Valentine argue convincingly, a great many other considerations play important roles in determining the trajectory of nuclear power in countries. This line of inquiry is vitally important today as nuclear power faces an uncertain -- and geographically diverse -- future in the aftermath of the Fukushima accidents. -- M. V. Ramana, Princeton University, USA This timely and original book develops a socio-political economic theory to explore the continuing fascination and commitment to nuclear energy in eight countries in Asia, Europe and North America. It is a book that must be read by all those - professionals, politician, academics and citizens - fascinated by the present dilemmas and future prospects of nuclear power. -- Andrew Blowers, Open University, UK In their holistic investigation of the myriad factors that give rise to nuclear energy programs and that sustain them over time Sovacool and Valentine have filled a major lacuna in the literature on nuclear power. Too often the discourse is dominated by economists and energy analysts who neglect the bigger picture. Political, social and cultural drivers and constraints can be just as determinative as the price of uranium or the overnight costs of building a nuclear power plant. By adopting an inductive, grounded, comparative case studies of eight leading nuclear energy countries the two authors not only illuminate commonalities but provide valuable insights into the unique characteristics of each case. -- Trevor Findlay, Harvard University, USA A salient contribution to the field, Sovacool and Valentine provide a novel interdisciplinary analysis encompassing a wide range of social, political, market and ideological factors affecting the development and deployment of nuclear technology.aa The comprehensive approach gives readers an exceptionally clear assessment of how nuclear power has developed, and continues to evolve, in a variety of different markets. -- Antony Froggatt, Chatham House, London, UK.

Author Information

Benjamin K. Sovacool is an Assistant Professor at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at the National University of Singapore. He is also a Research Fellow in the Energy Governance Program at the Centre on Asia and Globalization. He is editor, author, or co-author of five books, including the Routledge Handbook of Energy Security (2010). Scott Valentine is Assistant Professor at the Graduate School of Public Policy, University of Tokyo, Japan. He has a PhD from Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at the National University of Singapore.

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