Overcoming the framing problem—a critical-ethical perspective on the need to integrate social sciences and humanities and stakeholder contributions in EURATOM radiation protection research

Abstract

This paper introduces the ‘framing problem’ as the problem of the limited potential of critical reflection on the societal justification and use of nuclear energy technology as a contribution to European radiation protection research, given that the research is itself driven by EURATOM’s pro-nuclear political position. The idea is that the problem of policy framing could in principle be ‘overcome’ by the integration of social sciences and humanities and stakeholder contributions in that research, taking into account that this approach could help to raise critical awareness with the involved researchers and policy makers of the issues of fairness of risk justification in society and of the consequences thereof for nuclear energy policy and policy-supportive research itself.