Intro to Nuclear Security

3 Credits · Level: Graduate, Undergraduate

This course examines the historical, political, and technical contexts in which nuclear security is conceived. We’ll cover various framings of nuclear dangers and strategies to mitigate them; the roles of nuclear weapons in international politics; nuclear nation building and atomic cultures; nuclear weapons effects; the intersections of technological developments with discourses of nuclear deterrence; and international regimes of arms control. Basic instruction (non-calculus based) on nuclear technologies will be woven into qualitative discussion of historical developments and political challenges. This course serves as a survey of nuclear security issues for future analysts, policy makers and concerned citizens who wish to approach technology from a variety of disciplinary and cultural vantage points. These will include (but not be limited to) realist and constructivist security studies; history and sociology of science and technology; anthropology and media studies; feminist critical theory; and policy-analytic theory. Students will complete weekly readings and short reading responses, and write a term paper on a research topic of their choosing. No prerequisites; course appropriate for all SFS majors.