| Fear is ever present and can be manipulated within the policy process by actors
through the usage of macro-narratives of fear. This is the central argument of this
manuscript and one that is tested by looking at high level nuclear waste management in
the European Union before and after the Fukushima-Daiichi nuclear disaster. Nuclear
waste management is inflicted by a dual stigma of being associated with both nuclear
technologies and waste leaving it open to the impacts of risk perceptions. This
manuscript argues that this dual stigmatized nature of risk can be managed through the
politics of fear. The politics of fear escalates or deescalates risk perceptions related to a
policy through the usage of macronarratives of fear.
After tracking macronarratives of fear over time, it was found that he politics of
fear is utilized within the policy process through the usage of crises statements and biographical
narratives. In addition, crises statements and biographical narratives are used to expand or
contract the scope of conflict through macro-narratives of fear identified as honor, glory, and
hubris statements. Next, following an external event like Fukushima-Daiichi, macro-narratives of
fear will be utilized to prevent hard uncertainty and the occurrence of ontological insecurity.
Lastly, after an external event, a new biographical narrative will need to be established that
ensures the continuation of the reestablished ontological security by connecting a new rhetorical
strategy to the self-identity of a country or group of actors.
Key words: nuclear waste management, Narrative Policy Framework, Ontological Security,
Fukushima-Daiichi, science and technology |