Publication

With the end of the Cold War, many observers had expressed the hope that the role of nuclear weapons in shaping the international system would become less relevant. Yet more than a decade on, nuclear weapons continue to shape the conduct of world politics. A consensus on how best to ensure global stability no longer exists. As a result, global arms control and non-proliferation regimes are widely perceived to be in a state of crisis. It is against this backdrop that this book addresses the future of nuclear weapons in four broad areas: the impasses in arms control; the role of nuclear weapons in strategic thinking and military doctrine; the impact of nuclear weapons on regional balances; and the present challenges and future prospects of nuclear non-proliferation.