Arms Control for the Third Nuclear Age: Between Disarmament and Armageddon

The US faces a new era of nuclear arms racing, which is conceptually unprepared. David A. Cooper proposes relearning, reviving, and adapting classic arms control theory and negotiating practices to steer the world away from threatening and destabilizing nuclear arms races. He recommends adapting the Cold Wars classical paradigm of adversarial arms control for the contemporary landscape, prioritizing pragmatic agreements to stabilize deterrence relationships among todays nuclear rivals. Arms Control for the Third Nuclear Age provides analysts with a more hard-nosed strategic approach.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 248 pages
Publication date: 01 October 2021
Publisher: Georgetown University Press

The United States is entering a new era of nuclear arms racing, which is conceptually unprepared for. As the post-Cold War international order transforms into a more uncertain, complicated, and dangerous landscape, great power nuclear competition is resurfacing with a vengeance. Legacy nonproliferation and disarmament instruments designed for outdated conditions are ill-equipped to handle the complex dynamics of a multipolar nuclear arms race centered on China, Russia, and the United States.

In response to this challenge, international relations scholar David A. Cooper proposes a reappraisal of classic arms control theory and negotiating practices. He surveys the history of nuclear arms control efforts, revisits strategic theory's understanding of nuclear competition dynamics, and interviews US nuclear policy practitioners about both the past and the emerging era. Cooper advocates for relearning, reviving, and adapting classic arms control theory and negotiating practices to steer the world away from threatening and destabilizing nuclear arms races.

To prepare for this third nuclear age, Cooper recommends adapting the Cold War's classical paradigm of adversarial arms control for the contemporary landscape. Rather than prioritizing disarmament to eliminate nuclear weapons, this neoclassical approach would pursue pragmatic agreements to stabilize deterrence relationships among today's nuclear rivals. Drawing on an extensive theoretical and practical study of the Cold War and its aftermath, Cooper distills relevant lessons that could inform the United States' long-term efforts to navigate the unprecedented dangers of nuclear multipolarity.

Arms Control for the Third Nuclear Age stands out from other recent books on the topic by providing a comprehensive and nuanced analysis of the challenges and opportunities facing the United States in the nuclear age. It offers valuable insights and recommendations for policymakers, scholars, and anyone interested in understanding the complex dynamics of nuclear arms control and the future of international security.

Weight: 354g
Dimension: 153 x 228 x 19 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781647121310