I agree, you have a really engaging approach to this post! And the comparative framework is also really suggestive. Shifting back to nuclear power accidents — they are actually much more common (and less deadly) than you might think: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_nuclear_power_accidents_by_country
I’m also reminded of cover-ups in this country (by industry, rather than the government), such as the famous case led by Karen Silkwood. Also, I love the title to this post. No meltdowns before graduation, please!
Month: April 2018
Comment on Stop 6: Chernobyl by A. Nelson
Not sure I would make Chernobyl my last stop! (Or even my second to last….) But I’m impressed with your enthusiasm for “disaster tourism.” (And glad you are concerned about the radiation — did anyone offer you a dosimeter on the tour?) We’ll see more “explorations” of the zone in the film tomorrow.
Comment on The Godfather: Russian Edition by clairesuttonrussia
Really good post! I’m glad you did a topic that no one else really covered. Growing up on tv we always heard about the Russian Mafia but we didn’t really get that many specifics. You said that it thrived after the fall of the Soviet Union. Was there a reason why they didn’t do so well during the communist rule and better during the “capitalist”?
Comment on Chernobyl: Disaster at the worst of Times by A. Nelson
It really was a disaster in the worst of times! Thanks for reminding us of the (many) consequences of the accident, including its relationship to Super Power politics and the policies of glasnost’. Since you mentioned that people might be moving back to the zone in 2020 (really?!?!? Not me. I’m not moving there. I am curious about your source, though?), I thought you might be interested in Elysia’s post on “disaster tourism” at Chernobyl: https://blogs.lt.vt.edu/russiahistory/2018/04/30/stop-6-chernobyl/
Comment on We Have No Sex Here by A. Nelson
Such a fascinating and important topic! Can you fix the link to the Current Digest article (use the stable URL for the citation)? Where does the debate about “female sexuality” in general, and prostitution in particular, leave men?
Comment on Excuse me while I have a quick meltdown by clairesuttonrussia
I like the way you wrote your post Grace. It made it much more interesting to read. I especially like how you connected it to if the United States kept 9/11 from us for 3 weeks. We would’ve been appalled and probably taken to the streets. Were there any protests after the public found out?
Comment on We Have No Sex Here by clairesuttonrussia
Yes sexual revolution! I love how you chose this topic because this has been going on in a lot of Western countries starting around this time and still going on. it’s nice to see that it happened in the Soviet Union as well. Also did you see anything in your research about how they wanted to make prostitution safer for the females or if they wanted to unionize it?
Comment on All the Lies We Cannot See: Operation Infektion and HIV/AIDS in the Soviet Union by ejrhodes5
Thanks! You’re right, understanding the fear is really important. People were just so scared when it first started, and with good reason. I imagine I would be terrified if a disease we knew almost nothing about emerged and was so deadly.
Comment on All the Lies We Cannot See: Operation Infektion and HIV/AIDS in the Soviet Union by ejrhodes5
I’m glad you liked it! It must have been interesting to see that transition happen!
Comment on The Singing Revolution by Garrett
I think this is a great post! It is always interesting to see Soviet response to self determination. I think it is especially interesting to see protestors using cultural objects as a source of power to advance their movement and give themselves power!
