THE IMPACT OF POLICY NETWORKS ON THE SITING OF CIVILIAN NUCLEAR POWER INSTALLATIONS

Abstract

This thesis provides an account of how the different types of policy networks affect the governments’ compliance with the international regime and norms on the siting of civilian nuclear power installations. This thesis hypothesises that the existence of an epistemic community as a policy network promotes the government’s compliance with the international regime and norms in the siting of civilian nuclear power installation. This is because governments are more likely to consult with actors from the epistemic community in decisions on siting. This thesis uses a combination of process tracing and comparative case study methods to identify the causal links between the government and the different types of policy networks across three selected cases: the United States of America, the United Arab Emirates, and India. All three states are parties to the Convention on Nuclear Safety differ in terms of the degree of their compliance.