Political Mediation in Nuclear Waste Management: a Foucauldian Perspective

Abstract This paper aims to open up high-level waste management practices a political philosophical questioning, beyond the enclosure implied by normative ethics approaches that prevail in literature. Building on previous insights derived from mediation theory (in particular work of Verbeek and Dorrestijn), Foucault science technology studies Jasanoff’s socio-technical imaginaries), theory’s appropriation Foucauldian is shown be need modification further extension. In particular, we modify Dorrestijn’s figure “technical determination power relations” better take into account (literal figurative) aspects imagination, complement with figures techno-scientific mediation, inherently state-technical both based Foucault’s notion governmentality. Our analysis implies practical implementation nuclear (HLW) strategy will require “stitching together” these different mediations, which an task.