A sociological reconstruction of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant accident after 40 years

Abstract

A sociological reconstruction of public perception of the medical, economic, and socio-psychological consequences of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant disaster in radiation-contaminated regions is conducted. The mechanisms of the Chernobyl trauma formation, along with the sources of its reproduction and transmission, are also analysed. The positive ecological and social outcomes of the rehabilitation processes are demonstrated, including the reclamation of agricultural land, the construction of housing, social, and industrial infrastructure, as well as the optimisation of social well-being, health self-assessment, and public confidence in both local food quality and the safety of the Belarusian Nuclear Power Plant operation. The study identifies specific manifestations of the Chernobyl trauma 40 years after the technogenic disaster: concern regarding the negative health impacts of its consequences on relatives and loved ones, radiophobia embedded in collective memory, an increased demand for healthcare professionals, and the availability of job vacancies in destabilised regions. The epicentre of the reproduction and transmission mechanism of the Chernobyl trauma is determined to be the districts most severely affected by the disaster (Braginskii, Vetkovskii, Kormyanskii, Narovlyanskii, Khoynikskii, and Checherskii).