Since its foundation, the IAEA has changed to a large extent. The little noticed technical-scientific organization turned in to an involuntarily politicized political actor in the field of security politics. This change leads to a number of challenges for the Agency's practices of legitimation.

1. Method and approach
2. Findings from the sources
3. Images of the IAEA and changes over time
4. Possible explanations

• qualitative content analysis
• sources and material:
  • self descriptions: IAEA Annual Reports 1970:2010, 4-year steps
  • member evaluations: IAEA GC plenary debates 1970:2010, 4-year steps
  • external evaluations:
    • media: Lexis-Nexis: major world newspapers, IAEA in headline, 669 articles, 1980:2012
    • NGOs: statements of NGOs that participated at IAEA GC or were mentioned in the media, 107 statements from 19 NGOs

Important events

• 1970: Entry into force of the NPT, expansion of safeguards, conflicts on distribution of IAEA budget.
• 1986: Chernobyl, IAEA increases coordination efforts for security standards and legal instruments for nuclear safety, growing criticism of nuclear power promotion
• since 1990s: IAEA increasingly involved in political inspections (e.g. IRQ, IRN, PRK), partially under UNSC mandate, growing politicization and legitimacy challenges.

Findings from the sources

Political crises (IRN, IRQ, PRK)

Non-proliferation (safeguards, NPT, security, terror)

Nuclear safety (safety, Chernobyl)

Technical cooperation (assistance)

Contestation in the sources