Requalifier pour défaire

This article examines the process of withdrawal of a technological innovation policy through the analysis of the flexible qualifications of the objects of innovation. Opposing widely-held views on the shutdown of Superphénix, it provides a new understanding of the trajectory of the fast neutron nucl...

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Main Author: Claire Le Renard
Format: Article
Language:fra
Published: Société d'Anthropologie des Connaissances 2024-03-01
Series:Revue d'anthropologie des connaissances
Subjects:
Online Access:https://journals.openedition.org/rac/32675
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author Claire Le Renard
author_facet Claire Le Renard
author_sort Claire Le Renard
collection DOAJ
description This article examines the process of withdrawal of a technological innovation policy through the analysis of the flexible qualifications of the objects of innovation. Opposing widely-held views on the shutdown of Superphénix, it provides a new understanding of the trajectory of the fast neutron nuclear reactor in France from the 1950s to the 1990s. The reactors designed in the 1960s and 1970s, in the delicate balance between science and industrialization, were flexibly qualified as demonstrators or prototypes. In 1992, the Superphénix “prototype” was requalified as a “knowledge acquisition facility”. This entailed open evaluations considering the very purpose of the facility, which contributed to the process of withdrawal. It is argued that requalification as an open epistemic object is a decisive step in bringing a major technological programme to a halt.
format Article
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institution OA Journals
issn 1760-5393
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publisher Société d'Anthropologie des Connaissances
record_format Article
series Revue d'anthropologie des connaissances
spelling doaj-art-d543eaadb25d41349ec0de4b316f32632025-08-20T02:16:10ZfraSociété d'Anthropologie des ConnaissancesRevue d'anthropologie des connaissances1760-53932024-03-0118110.4000/rac.32675Requalifier pour défaireClaire Le RenardThis article examines the process of withdrawal of a technological innovation policy through the analysis of the flexible qualifications of the objects of innovation. Opposing widely-held views on the shutdown of Superphénix, it provides a new understanding of the trajectory of the fast neutron nuclear reactor in France from the 1950s to the 1990s. The reactors designed in the 1960s and 1970s, in the delicate balance between science and industrialization, were flexibly qualified as demonstrators or prototypes. In 1992, the Superphénix “prototype” was requalified as a “knowledge acquisition facility”. This entailed open evaluations considering the very purpose of the facility, which contributed to the process of withdrawal. It is argued that requalification as an open epistemic object is a decisive step in bringing a major technological programme to a halt.https://journals.openedition.org/rac/32675prototypenuclear energywithdrawaldemonstratorepistemic objectsocio-technical imaginary
spellingShingle Claire Le Renard
Requalifier pour défaire
Revue d'anthropologie des connaissances
prototype
nuclear energy
withdrawal
demonstrator
epistemic object
socio-technical imaginary
title Requalifier pour défaire
title_full Requalifier pour défaire
title_fullStr Requalifier pour défaire
title_full_unstemmed Requalifier pour défaire
title_short Requalifier pour défaire
title_sort requalifier pour defaire
topic prototype
nuclear energy
withdrawal
demonstrator
epistemic object
socio-technical imaginary
url https://journals.openedition.org/rac/32675
work_keys_str_mv AT clairelerenard requalifierpourdefaire