Evaluation research long-term participation in a surface disposal project.

In 2006 the partnerships STORA and MONA reflected about their future role within the cAt-project. Both partnerships wanted to keep their current form and continue to follow up the project after the design phase. Since then, there has been no more formal reason to think about the future, however 2017 seems a good time to do so. Pending the nuclear license by the FANC, ONDRAF / NIRAS and the partnerships are working on a social license: a full agreement between ONDRAF / NIRAS, STORA and MONA and the municipalities of Dessel and Mol on the complete implementation and operation of the integrated surface disposal facility. This social permit must confirm that all conditions are met and that green light can be given for the execution of the surface disposal.Practical questions include:• What role do the partnerships want to have in the next phase? How are the tasks divided?• Is a mere follow-up enough or do they want to actively participate?• Which conditions have been filled in? What conditions deserve an update? Is there an agreement about the trajectories for permanent follow-up that lie ahead?• How much money goes to each subproject?Our contribution will be to identify the various interpretations of participation that the parties involved in the cAt project hold. Furthermore, together with the surveyed stakeholders, we want to link this conceptual framework to the organizational implications. Because of the long term characteristic of the cAt-project, decisions on the new governance-models and on the budgeting necessarily will be reduced to a consideration on flexibility and institutionalization.

Keywords:CO-PRODUCTION OF KNOWLEDGE, ACTION RESEARCH

Disciplines:Applied sociology, Policy and administration, Social psychology, Social stratification, Social theory and sociological methods, Sociology of life course, family and health, Other sociology and anthropology