POLITICS OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS

This course equips students with analytical tools and factual knowledge for understanding the role of nuclear weapons in world politics. More specifically, students will learn how nuclear weapons affect international security, why states pursue and build nuclear weapons, under what conditions they may roll back their nuclear weapons programs, and why nuclear-armed states adopt diffrent nuclear postures. Besides engaging with theories explaining different nuclear policy outcomes, students will also gain factual knowledge of the global nuclear non-proliferation system as well as regional nuclear arms control
regimes. Through individual and regional case studies, this course also provides students with in-depth knowledge of the nuclear policies of a number of nuclear-armed or nuclear-capable states, such as North Korea, Iran, Pakistan, India, China, Russia and the U.S.