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Encyclopedia of Complexity and Systems Science pp 1–18Cite as

Fukushima Catastrophe: The Challenge of Complexity (Collective Reflexivity, Adaptive Knowledge, Political Innovation)

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Fukushima: A Systemic Event, a “Black Swan”

More than 3 years after the catastrophe, the initial shock is integrated in our daily lives, memories, and practices. Nothing is forgotten, but a collective and adaptive learning process is at work. From the beginning, the experience of this event opened an intense collective inquiry and learning process. This wave keeps growing. As an event, Fukushima is constantly evolving, reshaping our bodies, minds, and societies, even when we behave as if nothing had happened. In this collective learning process, the time has come to debate Fukushima’s historical meaning. This disaster cannot be reduced to an unpredictable earthquake and tsunami. Because of the size of the disaster, it is impossible to take the full measure of the event. The world has changed. Fukushima is the name of a turning point in world history: relations between technology, politics, industry, society, and ecology are forever transformed. Its long-term impact is unpredictable and...

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of philosophy, University of Lyon-Jean Moulin, Lyon, France

    Alain-Marc Rieu

  2. Institute of East-Asian Studies (CNRS), Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, 15 parvis Descartes, 69007, Lyon, France

    Alain-Marc Rieu

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  1. Alain-Marc Rieu
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Correspondence to Alain-Marc Rieu .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Ramtech Ltd., Larkspur, California, USA

    Robert A. Meyers

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Rieu, AM. (2014). Fukushima Catastrophe: The Challenge of Complexity (Collective Reflexivity, Adaptive Knowledge, Political Innovation). In: Meyers, R. (eds) Encyclopedia of Complexity and Systems Science. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27737-5_621-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27737-5_621-1

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-27737-5

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