Can the Veil of Ignorance Create Consensus?: A Qualitative Analysis Using the Siting for a Contaminated Waste Landfill Game

Abstract

This study aims to demonstrate the significance of the discussion under the “veil of ignorance” in building consensus about the Not In My Back Yard (NIMBY) issue. The Siting for a Contaminated Waste Landfill Game simulating conflicts related to the site selection of a contaminated waste landfill created by the accident at Fukushima nuclear power plant was developed with the veil of ignorance implemented as the prevailing social structure. The game involves two types of players: mayors, who are aware of the interests of their regions but can only engage in discussion; and citizens, who are unaware of the specific concerns of their regions (i.e., under the veil of ignorance) but are tasked with engaging in discussions and making the final decision. The transformations in the ideas of the players were examined through this game relating to building consensus. Ten games were conducted, and no unfair decisions were discerned under the veil of ignorance. A qualitative analysis of the open-ended questions revealed that a) the participants focused on fair viewpoints and avoided obsessions with regional interests after the discussion, and b) the diversity of actors and the multiple value dimensions were consistently emphasized before and after the discussion. Hence, this study succeeded in demonstrating that by participating in discussions under the veil of ignorance, the participants were able to form a shared recognition of the multiple-decision process, which the involvement of a diversity of actors and values was crucial for the formation of a consensus on the NIMBY issue.