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<p>The repository search for highly radioactive waste poses a&#xa0;current and unprecedented challenge in the global context: How to guarantee a&#xa0;safe containment of material that is harmful to the environment and health for up to one million years? For this purpose, Germany is relying on a&#xa0;science-based and participatory process. However, time requirements due to the complexity and expense of research are increasingly pushing the decision into the distance.</p><p>The article presents a&#xa0;sociological analysis on the role of ignorance in the repository search in Germany. “Not Knowing” is presented and discussed in social constructivist terms as a&#xa0;contingent definition of meaning. It is argued that ignorance constitutes a&#xa0;constant and relevant phenomenon in the site selection procedure, which unfolds a&#xa0;political dimension. Following the theoretical discussion, the article presents empirical results of a&#xa0;discourse analysis, reconstructing specific ways of interpreting and processing “not knowing” in the German site selection procedure. Thus, the phenomenon of procedural delays in the repository search is interpreted as a&#xa0;problem of <i>socially assumed limits</i> regarding ignorance. Finally, implications for the procedure and science-based political decision-making are discussed.</p>

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Unterstellte Endlichkeit: Die Rolle von Nichtwissen für die Endlagerung radioaktiven Abfalls

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  • 发表日期：

    2025年5月22日

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  • Alisa Hirn

摘要

The repository search for highly radioactive waste poses a current and unprecedented challenge in the global context: How to guarantee a safe containment of material that is harmful to the environment and health for up to one million years? For this purpose, Germany is relying on a science-based and participatory process. However, time requirements due to the complexity and expense of research are increasingly pushing the decision into the distance.

The article presents a sociological analysis on the role of ignorance in the repository search in Germany. “Not Knowing” is presented and discussed in social constructivist terms as a contingent definition of meaning. It is argued that ignorance constitutes a constant and relevant phenomenon in the site selection procedure, which unfolds a political dimension. Following the theoretical discussion, the article presents empirical results of a discourse analysis, reconstructing specific ways of interpreting and processing “not knowing” in the German site selection procedure. Thus, the phenomenon of procedural delays in the repository search is interpreted as a problem of socially assumed limits regarding ignorance. Finally, implications for the procedure and science-based political decision-making are discussed.