Seite - 189 - in Critical Issues in Science, Technology and Society Studies - Conference Proceedings of the 17th STS Conference Graz 2018

participation was, and sometimes still is, understood as a tool to gain trust and legitimacy (e.g. Andersson et al. 2003; Bergmans et al. 2015; Blowers & Sundqvist 2010). International recommendations, e.g. those of the IAEA (2017), still focus on the instrumental function of participation in recommending communication and consultation. This is criticized by for instance Blowers and Sundquist (2010, 153) as “technocratic framing”. Trust in a fair process which considers all interests equally is not easily gained and information and communication might not be the only or the right tools. As a result, a change in perspective for the benefit of normative and substantive functions of participation would be one step forward to reduce the instrumental character of participation in nuclear waste governance. Recent literature in nuclear waste governance concerning the role of participation for finding a solution of this sociotechnical problem give the process of decision-making priority, which means that the normative function of participation increases in importance (Krütli et al. 2012; e.g. Visschers & Siegrist 2012). The realization that the process matters a lot is also reflected in the new steps undertaken towards participatory decision-making in radioactive waste governance in Germany, for instance with the Commission on the Disposal of High-Level-Waste and the Repository Site Selection Act (StandAG). The StandAG (BMJV 2017) forms the statutory framework of the whole site selection process. In respect of participation, part two of the StandAG describes the framework and elements of participation: give statements and take part in discussions, the National Support Body (NBG), a symposium on regional sections, regional conferences and the symposium “council of regions”. The Federal Office for the Safety of Nuclear Waste Management (BfE) is the supervisory and approval agency and responsible for the participatory processes in the siting procedure. The BfE is a newly established authority and claims to establish a modern organizational culture in which continuously learning processes, self-criticism and a positive error culture should be part of daily work and leadership (BfE 2017). This should guarantee a siting procedure of highest quality. A very important participatory element of the StandAG and therefore also for the BfE is the NBG (StandAG, §8) whose main task is to monitor the site selection process with specific attention to participation in order to guarantee an open and participatory dialogue between all actors on the basis of transparency. The overall aim is to gain trust in the process itself. Participatory elements like the NBG of the new site selection process and the regional conferences have their role in becoming informed by the government in order to inform the interested public and to formulate its own statements in terms of a consultation process (StandAG 2017). The focus of participation in the new German site selection procedure in general still lies on information and consultation as well as transparency. This indicates that the StandAG focuses on formal correctness, and participation is only possible within a tight frame (Hocke & Smeddinck 2017). In reference to the activities of the NBG so far, efforts for a transparent and participatory process are made. However, it has not been clarified yet, how results of participatory elements are being implemented in the decision- making process. Suggestions have been made to communicate findings not only towards the annual reports of the NBG, but as well directly to the government, in case particular findings are regarded as very important or urgent (empirical findings of participant observation by Mbah 2018). In summary, the plea for a shift of the interpretation of participation functions towards normative and substantive functions is already recognized in politics and across the interested public, due to the fact that in nuclear waste governance in Germany, but also in other policy fields, a transparent and participatory process which means more than information is absolutely new. 189