PS 561

Nuclear Strategy and Nonproliferation

Section: 001

Course Description

No understanding of world politics is complete without an accounting of the role of nuclear weapons. Observers have credited the nuclear revolution with everything from responsibility for the longest period without a great-power war in modern history to bringing humanity to the precipice of annihilation. This course gives students an understanding of the role that nuclear weapons have played in world politics over the past seven decades. The course explores the ways these weapons have been incorporated into military force structures; the roles they have played in military strategy; and the effort to control their spread, limit deployments and stockpiles, avoid nuclear war, and prevent nuclear terrorism. This course will be of use to graduate students with an interest in international relations, foreign policy, and national security. No prior background in international security or nuclear policy is required.