Epistemic communities: norms, diffusion, and impact on intergovernmental agreements

Daniel Serwer

Chapter 33 in Handbook on the Politics of International Agreements, 2026, pp 516-525 from Edward Elgar Publishing

Abstract: Based on the well-documented history of the unusually strong, century-old regime for protection from ionizing radiation, an epistemic community can help establish and diffuse international norms, in particular where there is a need to balance risks and benefits of technology. The experts involved will want to base their decisions on scientific data, but social pressures from competitive institutions, experts within the epistemic community, and public advocacy will also influence decisions. The less adversarial process in an epistemic community like that surrounding the International Commission on Radiological Protection can contribute to and strengthen both “soft law“ norms as well as treaty-based requirements, as is apparent from efforts to protect the ozone layer and to limit global warming. Future applications could include artificial intelligence, human genome editing, neurotechnology, and other beneficial technologies that pose serious risks.

Keywords: Norms; Epistemic Community; Ionizing Radiation; Artificial Intelligence (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
ISBN: 9781035318582
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