Nuclear Ghost

"Nuclear ghosts dwell among the enlightened elders of Minamisōma— as the afterlife of atomic power, as the decay of disaster, as the half life of sociality, and as the dogged persistence of hope. An ethnographer of rare perception, Morimoto sees it all. This exceptional book renders this community’s experiences with sterling insight and tender clarity. An unforgettable, indispensable debut." —Alondra Nelson, Harold F. Linder Professor, Institute for Advanced Study

"Ryo Morimoto’s unparalleled, compassionate gaze in Nuclear Ghost brings us deep into the liminal zone of evacuated, post-cataclysm Minamisōma. Ghosts are many—unseen radioactivity, lost friends and livelihood, stigma—haunting citizens striving to live beyond victimhood. Morimoto vividly captures their lifeworld. To understand post-disaster Fukushima, you must read this book."—Peter Galison, Joseph Pellegrino University Professor, Harvard University
 
"Ryo Morimoto applies an Indigenous studies perspective in this brilliant, must-read work about disaster’s consequences. Insightfully illuminating how science dehumanizes survivors, he masterfully dignifies Fukushima’s residents as they navigate uncertainty and bravely rebuild their lives."—Valerie Lambert, Choctaw Nation, author of Native Agency: Indians in the Bureau of Indian Affairs