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

有毒化学品，环境组织和科学技术在欧盟和美国的治理：纳米技术的情况下。Lamprou，RPI知识产权美国和欧洲联盟管制有毒化学品的方法之间的差异如何影响环境组织在纳米技术治理中发挥的作用？自2008年以来，两国政府一直在激烈讨论改革现有的有毒化学品监管框架，以纳入纳米材料。在这两个大陆，环境倡导组织已经在处理纳米技术监管问题的小组和委员会中获得了一席之地。然而，这两种政治文化之间的主要差异影响到环境组织的参与方式，从而产生了将其观点纳入政策进程的不同机会。该项目旨在确定和了解这些不同的参与模式及其对改善有毒化学品治理的影响。两个主要的研究问题驱动这项研究：（1）如何治理结构和组织的政治文化的美国和欧盟的纳米技术和化学法规的政策的讨论和发展中表示？(2)政治参与有何不同，包括议事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。访问将与欧盟和美国各政策机构和环保组织的代表进行。与会者的观察将在会议、小组讨论和大会上进行。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提供一个有价值的比较视角的多个利益相关者参与纳米技术的监管政策，并将是一个重要的参考点，为讨论监管协调发展。更广泛地说，这项研究将推动关于公众参与新技术和现有化学品的管制政策制定和改革的审议。

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.