Nuclear Decisions: Changing the Course of Nuclear Weapons Programs

Nuclear Decisions: Changing the Course of Nuclear Weapons Programs explores the complex factors that shape states' decisions to pursue or abandon nuclear weapons. It identifies two mechanisms that influence leaders' understanding of the costs and benefits of nuclear pursuits: internal intervention by domestic experts and external factors influenced by the international system. The book identifies three different proliferation eras and provides case studies of nine states across these eras, challenging the conventional wisdom that states pursue a straight path to the bomb.

Format: Hardback
Length: 296 pages
Publication date: 19 July 2023
Publisher: Oxford University Press Inc

Throughout the nuclear age, states have taken a diverse range of approaches to or away from nuclear weapons, making it challenging to predict their course. The security environment, whether stable or changing, cannot solely explain these paths. To understand these dynamics, it is essential to examine the nuclear decisions made by state leaders. These decisions shape each state's trajectory toward acquiring nuclear weapons. Whether a state ultimately acquires these weapons depends largely on the choices made regarding nuclear proliferation.

This book presents a novel theory of nuclear decision-making that identifies two mechanisms that shape leaders' perceptions of the costs and benefits of their nuclear pursuits. The first mechanism involves the intervention of domestic experts in key scientific and military organizations. If the conditions are favorable, these experts may be able to influence a leader's nuclear decision-making. The second mechanism arises from the structure and politics of the international system. Nuclear Decisions: Changing the Course of Nuclear Weapons Programs identifies three different proliferation eras, each characterized by changes to international political and structural conditions that have constrained or facilitated states pursuing nuclear weapons development.

Through captivating case studies of nine states across these eras, this book offers valuable insights for scholars and practitioners alike. By adopting a global approach to studying nuclear proliferation, it challenges the conventional wisdom that states pursue a linear path to the bomb. Instead, nuclear decisions define a state's nuclear pursuits, highlighting the complex and multifaceted factors that shape their decisions and actions.

In conclusion, the nuclear age has witnessed a wide range of state approaches to nuclear weapons. Understanding these decisions and their mechanisms is crucial for comprehending the complex dynamics of nuclear proliferation and its impact on global security. This book provides valuable insights into the complex world of nuclear decision-making and offers a fresh perspective on the changing course of nuclear weapons programs.

Weight: 522g
Dimension: 241 x 162 x 26 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780197679531