Radiation standards are malleable

Arguably, radiation protection is the next frontier in nuclear science. It has become evident that aspects of nuclear power production and the use of radiation in medicine have been harmful to humans and the environment. In response, scientists have proposed technical radiation standards in order to reduce the harmful effects of radiation exposure. But they have not questioned the history behind their implementation and have neglected societal concerns. The effects of this approach can be seen in continuing incidents of radiation overexposure in the nuclear industry in the medical sector. HRP-IAEA retraces the international history of radiation protection after World War II, focusing especially on the Technical Assistance Programs of the IAEA; investigates the role of the IAEA in sponsoring knowledge production in the field of radiation protection in competition with other regulatory agencies; analyzes the standardization of instruments, measuring devices, units of measurement, objects, procedures, and technical vocabulary as the main strategy the IAEA employed for guiding radiation protection worldwide.