Governance and perceptions of hazardous activities

More about the book

This publication results from a collaborative German-French project funded by the Centre interdisciplinaire d’études et de recherches sur l’Allemagne (CIERA) and the SAGE Laboratory (University of Strasbourg). The project aimed to evaluate how public authorities, tribunals, media, and civil society address scientific uncertainty regarding potential risks and hazardous activities. It focused on German, French, and European actors, examining two selected hazardous activities: pesticides and electromagnetic waves, both of which raise significant public concern amid a lack of scientific consensus. These issues pose risks not only to workers but also to consumers and the general public, making them highly relevant in media discourse. There are substantial regulatory frameworks at both European and national levels in Germany and France. The project sought to explore the relationships among various stakeholders and analyze how scientific knowledge is integrated, utilized, misused, or overlooked. Involving jurists, journalists, sociologists, politicians, and NGO activists, the initiative aimed to enhance understanding of these issues from diverse professional perspectives. Findings were presented at conferences in Strasbourg and Ansbach, allowing participants to engage in discussions and reflections on their research.