Ideas That Stand in the Way of Nuclear Disarmament

This project is led by Jana Wattenberg (Aberystwyth University) and has been funded by the Doctoral Career Development Scholarship (DCDS) (Aberystwyth University). It addresses the problem that nuclear weapons continue to exist despite the constant efforts of state representatives, civil society, experts and think tanks to create a world without them. The 'ideas that stand in the way of nuclear disarmament project' turns to ideas about nuclear weapons and disarmament to explain why the constant work of the global nuclear disarmament complex has failed to free the world of nuclear weapons. Ideas, such as the idea that nuclear disarmament has to be a long-term goal, commit actors to continue discussing global nuclear zero, while postponing nuclear arms reductions into the distant future.

 

Relevant papers:

“Ideas about Nuclear Disarmament” paper presented at Pugwash Peace & Disarmament Conference, University of London, 23 February 2019.

“A certain response to an uncertain future” paper presented at Annual Conference of the BISA US Foreign Policy Working Group, Liverpool, 4-5 September 2018.

“A responsible path towards global nuclear zero?” paper presented at State Responsibility and Non-Territorial Security Challenges Workshop, Department of International Politics, Aberystwyth University, 20-21 September 2018.

“Any Idea Why Nuclear Weapons Still Exist?” paper presented at BISA Annual Conference 2018, Bath, 13-15 June 2018.