Purpose

To investigate and compare it with the Russian and English-speaking public’s attitude to the development of atomic engineering as the phenomenon of modernization in home countries and abroad.

The article is devoted to the problem of the occurrence of  disputed situations which sources lay in the points of collusion actual interests. On the one hand, it is the necessity of the country’s modernization–conscious and its intensive industrialization for the purpose of steady development of the society, on the other hand, it is the attitude of the public to the concrete projects and tendencies directed to the decision of this task. As the example, it is considered the attitude of the Russian public (separate groups of the population and experts) to the construction of the atomic power station in Monakovo village (Navashinsky region)  the Nizhniy Novgorod area.

Method and methodology of carrying out  the work

The complex method  is used - both quantitative and qualitative. Materials of mass-media and other information sources  were investigated by the content-analysis method, separate groups’opinion of the public and experts  was being revealed  by the "focus-groups" method. A qualitative method (description) was used at the analysis and reproduction of experts’ opinion and  juxtaposition of  various public groups’ opinion.

Results

Social mechanisms of  protest moods and radiophobias are being revealed in the current region (in the territory of the project realization ) and all-over Russia. A real estimation and the English-speaking public’s position is being revealed concerning the development of atomic engineering in home countries and abroad, in particular, in Russia as well.

Practical implications

Sociology, policy, concrete projects realization in the field of atomic engineering, large industrial projects realization, ecology.

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.12731/2218-7405-2013-2-38