This course will examine the dangers caused by the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD), and strategies to address this threat. It will include an examination of theories about the spread of WMD, and efforts to control this spread both during and after the Cold War. We will look at both national and international efforts to prevent the spread of WMD, ranging from diplomacy and arms control to counterproliferation strategies. We will also look at the factors that have led some states to choose not to develop such weapons. The course will look at cases that raised fears about proliferation to both state and non-state actors. The goal is to provide students with a strong grasp of the challenges presented by proliferation, and the strategies that have been developed to address this problem.
The course is divided into two sections. In the first section, we will examine the nature of the problem of proliferation, looking at the debate over whether proliferation is a problem, why states decide to go nuclear or not, and the ways in which weapons of mass destruction proliferate. In the second section, we will examine strategies used to address the proliferation challenge, by both the U.S. and the international community. In each section, we will look at particular cases as illustrations of the issues.
The syllabus is provided on this site for your perusal. Links to the online readings can be found by clicking on the Readings in the syllabus.