Trust as Glue in Nanotechnology Governance Networks
Abstract
This paper reflects on the change of relations
among participants in nanotechnology governance
through their participation in governance processes such
as stakeholder dialogues. I show that policymaking in
practice—that is, the practice of coming and working
together in such stakeholder dialogues—has the potential for two-fold performative effects: it can contribute to
the development of trust and mutual responsibility on
the part of the involved actors, and it may bring about
effects on the formation of boundaries of what is sayable
and thinkable in nanotechnology governance. Three
vignettes about the work of the German NanoKommission indicate the development of new relations of trust,
recognition and mutual responsibility among actors. It is
concluded that governance in practice can assemble new
collectives in which relations of trust are the glue
holding the complex structure together. While such a
consensus-based progress may be favourable for
smooth technology development, it can be considered
problematic if evaluated against the ideals of deliberative democracy, which often form the premises on
which public engagement is based. Stakeholder forums
were set in place with the intention of including various
actors, but this is Janus-faced: if a dialogue becomes encapsulated in new governance networks, new exclusions can arise. For example, a policing of which
information is released to a wider audience can occur.