ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the role of power disparity in such a context by conducting a case study of an epistemic community on nuclear and radiation safety in the Baltic Sea region. It analyses the Paldiski case and the alleged positive role played by the nuclear experts. The chapter introduces a theoretical framework for analysing how power disparity may affect the role of epistemic communities. It explains what is meant by power disparity, how nuclear power resources are distributed in the Baltic Sea region, and presents three views on how it may affect the role of experts. The views have been labelled power disparity as a favourable condition, power disparity as a restraining condition, and power disparity as a secondary condition. Interestingly, when the three views then were confronted with the empirical evidence, it was found that both the second view and the third view gave some understanding of the outcome in the Paldiski case.
