Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to analyze how competence in the humanities and social sciences has been introduced into the system culture of the Swedish nuclear waste system (SNWS) traditionally dominated by scientists and engineers. In the spring of 1980, fierce local protests were directed against drilling teams sent out to investigate the geology of potential locations for a repository of spent nuclear fuel. This demonstrated the political and ethical dimensions of the waste issue and the limitations of the technocratic approach that had hitherto dominated the system culture of the SNWS.

In order to counter this tendency, the government established an advisory board, Samrådsnämnden för kärnavfall (abbreviated KASAM), in 1985 with the task to widen the perspectives on the nuclear waste issue. KASAM engaged social scientists and humanists and started organizing annual workshops inviting engineers and scientists working with the waste issue to discuss its ethical and political dimensions. In the early 1990s, SKB, the Swedish implementer organization responsible for the management of nuclear waste, changed its strategy for finding suitable locations for a repository of spent nuclear fuel. Approval from the local population became a key condition. In the early 2000s, only two municipalities remained, both of them already housing nuclear power plants. After careful investigations and many deliberations, one of them was eventually chosen.

The combination of KASAM’s activities to broaden the discussion and the local protests in many communities initiated a gradual change of the system culture within the SNWS. The initial technocratic approach was broadened to encompass ethical, social, and political aspects, and the main organizations now acknowledge that not only technical and scientific skills but also competence from social science and the humanities were of essence.

摘要

本文的目的是分析人文和社会科学的能力如何被引入到传统上由科学家和工程师主导的瑞典核废料系统 (SNWS) 的系统文化中。1980 年春天，当地发生了激烈的抗议，反对派去调查乏核燃料储存库潜在地点地质情况的钻井队。这表明了废物问题的政治和伦理层面，以及迄今为止主导 SNWS 系统文化的技术官僚方法的局限性。

为了应对这种趋势，政府于 1985 年成立了一个咨询委员会，即 Samrådsnämnden för kärnavfall（简称 KASAM），其任务是拓宽对核废料问题的看法。KASAM 与社会科学家和人文主义者合作，并开始组织年度研讨会，邀请从事废物问题工作的工程师和科学家讨论其伦理和政治层面。在 1990 年代初期，负责管理核废料的瑞典实施组织 SKB 改变了为乏核燃料储存库寻找合适位置的战略。当地民众的认可成为一个关键条件。在 2000 年代初期，只剩下两个自治市，它们都已经拥有核电站。经过仔细调查和多方考虑，最终选择了其中之一。

KASAM 扩大讨论范围的活动与许多社区的当地抗议相结合，引发了 SNWS 内部系统文化的逐渐变化。最初的技术官僚方法被扩大到包括伦理、社会和政治方面，主要组织现在承认不仅技术和科学技能而且社会科学和人文学科的能力都是必不可少的。