Description
Nuclear weapons, deterrence and their impacts are predominantly discussed from the perspective of the potential aggressors. Those affected by the production, locally and beyond the state level, seem invisible in the overarching, abstract discourse of nuclear deterrence. A completely under-theorised hidden story is the uranium mining in the Ore Mountains. Between 1946 and 1990, Wismut's uranium mining in Thuringia and Saxony contributed to the former Soviet – now Russian – nuclear weapons programme and was established as one of the world's top four uranium producers during the Cold War, a legacy that continues to shape regional identity to this day. All sectors – from the economy and health to culture – were subordinated to uranium mining for nuclear weapons production. Unsurprisingly, not only the miners themselves but also their families were deeply embedded in the nuclear weapons production apparatus. This study explores how nuclear secrecy, misogynistic narratives, and the ambivalences surrounding uranium mining have influenced the daily lives of families, particularly women, from that time through to the present day. Inspired by Cynthia Enloe’s question, where are the women, this research places women’s roles at the centre of its analysis. Critical methods within an intersectional feminist framework will be employed, utilising empiricism and an acknowledgement of the social experiences and knowledge of those affected.
