The Social Life of Los Alamos.

This historical ethnography of Los Alamos, New Mexico is derived from over twelve years of participant observation and interview research in both the community at large and the National Laboratory (including several years as a Q-cleared employee working in security and intelligence), autoethnographic interpretation of my growing up (and subject-formation) in the town, and historical and archival research about the town (including the ancient and historical residents of the Pajarito Plateau, the Anasazis and Spanish colonists, the Manhattan Project, and post-World War II Los Alamos) and the work that is conducted there. Study of the social space of Los Alamos yields perspectives on the institutions of the scientific war state and on the effects of intense security upon a community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]