This introductory session will outline the scope and content of the course and what is expected of students during the semester. There will be a full explanation of the course requirements, including assignments, presentations and grading processes. I will also ask the students to give brief introductions and why they chose the course. During the second part of the meeting, I will introduce the concepts and ideas under discussion during the course, and the new challenges that have emerged in relation to nuclear deterrence and proliferation over recent years.

Introduction to the concepts of deterrence and the security dilemma, and how these operated during the Cold War period. There will also be a discussion of key flashpoints during this period, including the Cuban Missile Crisis.

A discussion of the concept of arms control and analysis of the factors behind the recent unraveling of US-Russia arms control treaties. The class will also include a discussion of the role played by Russian nuclear threats in the war in Ukraine.

The lecture will discuss the various models that explain the decision-making behind the quest for nuclear weapons, including China’s decision to modernize its nuclear arsenal.

The class will discuss the role that the nuclear weapons programme plays in North Korea, the failed efforts to date to achieve denuclearization and assess the prospects of a nuclear arms race in East Asia.

Guest Lecturer: Jan Ludvik Have nuclear weapons helped to maintain stability in South Asia or have they resulted in heightened tensions?

: What is nuclear ambiguity? The class assesses Israel’s deterrence strategy and evaluates the successes and failures of this policy – in particular, in the wake of the October 7 attacks and the Iranian missile strikes on Israel during 2024.

This lecture will examine the evolution of Iran’s nuclear programme and the foundering international efforts to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon, as well as the prospects of a nuclear arms race in the Middle East.

The lecture will examine international efforts to establish arms control regimes, with a focus on the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). It will also examine the debate over the prospects for achieving nuclear disarmament.

The class explores the debate over the role of missile defence – does it strengthen deterrence or undermine it? The lecture will also look at the impact of missile defence deployments in Europe, the Middle East and East Asia.

The lecture examines international efforts over the decades to prevent the use of chemical and biological weapons. To what extent has the Chemical Weapons Convention succeeded in stemming the use of these weapons?

The class discusses the concerns that arose in the wake of 9/11 regarding the possibility of a nuclear terrorist attack, and the difficulties in regard to deterring non-state actors.

Final Examination via NEO