Doctoral Dissertation Research: Toxic Chemicals, Environmental Organizations, and the Governance of Science and Technology in the EU and the US: the Case of Nanotechnology

欧盟和美国的有毒化学物质、环境组织和科技治理：纳米技术的案例。美国和欧盟在管理有毒化学物质的方法上的差异如何影响环保组织在纳米技术治理中所扮演的角色？自2008年以来，两国政府就改革现有的有毒化学品监管框架，将纳米材料纳入其中进行了激烈的讨论。在这两个大洲，环境倡导组织已经在处理纳米技术监管主题的小组和委员会中获得了一席之地。然而，两种政治文化之间的关键差异影响了环境组织参与的方式，从而产生了将其观点纳入政策过程的不同机会。本项目旨在查明和了解这些不同的参与模式及其对改进有毒化学品管理的影响。两个主要的研究问题推动了这项研究：(1)美国和欧盟的治理结构和政治文化的组织如何在纳米技术和化学监管政策的讨论和发展中表达？(2)政治参与有何不同，包括协商机构和环境组织的相对作用？这些问题将使用定性研究方法的组合来回答。采访对象包括欧盟和美国的政策机构和环保组织的代表。与会者观察将在会议、小组和会议中进行。此外，正式的政策文件和环保组织？报告、官方网页和博客将被分析。更广泛的影响拟议的研究将为参与纳米技术监管政策的多个利益相关者提供一个有价值的比较视角，并将成为讨论监管协调发展的重要参考点。更一般地说，这项研究将促进关于公众参与新技术和现有化学品的管理政策制定和改革的讨论。

Toxic Chemicals, Environmental Organizations, and the Governance of Science and Technology in the EU and the US: the Case of NanotechnologyA.Kinchy & A. Lamprou, RPIIntellectual meritHow do differences between United States and European Union approaches to regulating toxic chemicals affect the role that environmental organizations play in the governance of nanotechnology? Since 2008, there have been intense discussions in both governments about reforming the existing regulatory frameworks for toxic chemicals to include nanomaterials. In both continents, environmental advocacy organizations have acquired a place in panels and committees addressing the topic of nanotechnology regulation. However, key differences between the two political cultures affect the ways that environmental organizations participate, generating different opportunities to incorporate their perspectives into the policy process. This project aims to identify and understand those different modes of participation and their implications for improving the governance of toxic chemicals. Two main research questions drive this study: (1) How are the governance structures and the organization of the political cultures of the US and EU expressed in the discussion and development of policies for nanotechnology and chemical regulation? (2) What are the differences in political participation, including the relative role of deliberative institutions and environmental organizations? These questions will be answered using a combination of qualitative research methods. Interviews will be conducted with representatives of various policy bodies and environmental organizations both in the EU and the US. Participant observation will be conducted in meetings, panels, and conferences. In addition, formal policy documents and environmental organizations? reports, official web pages and blogs will be analyzed. Broader ImpactThe proposed study will provide a valuable comparative perspective for the multiple stakeholders involved in nanotechnology regulatory policy, and will be an important point of reference for discussions of regulatory harmonization development. More generally, the study will advance deliberations regarding public participation in regulatory policy development and reform for both new technologies and existing chemicals.