Bombs Away? New Perils and Old Paradoxes

Description

Dan Deudney, a professor of political science at Johns Hopkins, will discuss nuclear weapons and politics as part of the Aronson Center for International Studies' and the International Studies Leadership Council's 2023 Speaker Series: Emerging Threats in the New World Order.

To many observers, nuclear war seems increasingly imminent. Russia is opening making nuclear threats. The arms control regime is collapsing. China is rapidly expanding its nuclear forces, as is North Korea. Iran is on the brink of acquiring nuclear weapons. And the U.S. is 'modernizing' its already formidable nuclear forces. Cyber and space weapons are increasingly in the mix. But theorists of nuclear politics are sharply divided over the implications of these developments, with some very alarmed and others mildly concerned. Some recommend further arms build-ups, while others urge rapid and comprehensive de-nuclearization. What are the roots of these stark differences? Which path is superior? A brief guide to the perplexed.