Democracy in risk society, the production of political identities in conflicts about mobile phone health risks

Democracy is partly constituted in its implementation. This is pertinent in policy processes were uncertainty abounds, for example in the case of health risks like BSE or nuclear energy. Authors like Beck and Giddens stress that uncertainty and risks cause distrust in political institutions and a gap between policy makers and people. Our claim is that risk politics do not produce distance but, on the contrary, a high level of intertwinement between people and policy-makers. The problem of actual democracy is not distance, but closeness and conflict. In situations of uncertainty, authorities get a big say in the definition of the situation: policies produce risk awareness and political identities. Participatory policy making alerts citizens and presents an opportunity for mobilization. Feelings of distrust and fear or NIMBY-ism can be the result. In this research, we trace the emergence of political identities in conflicts about health risks of mobile phone technology. We propose a qualitative comparative study of three cases which are similar in most respects except for the way radiation risks are dealt with. In all case we analyze the emergence of the issue, the development of social movements and the identities of politically involved and non-involved citizens. This research builds on recently finished research by the first applicant (Bröer) and long standing interest in political identities of the second applicant (Duyvendak). It addresses a paradigmatic modern policy issue which is receiving growing attention. The research contributes to understanding how conflicts in democratic participation develop.