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International Relations

October 14, 2025

☢️ Why irreversible nuclear disarmament is a lonely pursuit for African states

Kudawashe Mapako The 2026 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, gives African states an opportunity to turn lofty disarmament pledges into real action. Kudakwashe Mapako argues that reflecting on past efforts and taking advantage of unity, minerals, and norms allows these states to press for irreversible nuclear disarmament Read more
October 9, 2025

Why Netanyahu has been forced to accept the US peace plan

Paul Whiteley Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has accepted Trump's plan for peace in Gaza in principle – though he is likely to try and sabotage it. Paul Whiteley warns that this is a dangerous strategy given Netanyahu's woeful approval ratings among ordinary Israelis Read more
October 7, 2025

☢️ The Global South in a changing nuclear order: between catalysing peace and quiet acquiescence

Shivani Singh Global South states have long advocated for nuclear disarmament, from the Bandung Conference to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. Yet recent abstentions and muted positions on conflicts suggest waning commitment. Shivani Singh examines how multipolar dependencies shape these states' responses, and what it means for the nuclear order Read more
October 2, 2025

☢️ Young people in the nuclear age

Franco Castro Escobar Young people are an important part of nuclear weapons’ history. But despite their significant presence, historical records and scholarly research have paid scant attention to youth participation in nuclear politics. In this ‘third nuclear age,’ Franco Castro Escobar argues there is a growing need to record and understand the voices of young antinuclear organisers in the twenty-first century Read more
September 24, 2025

Are landmines legitimate self-defence? The folly of leaving the Ottawa Convention

Henrique Garbino The Ottawa Convention banning anti-personnel landmines is under serious challenge. In 2025, six state parties — Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Finland and Ukraine — began the procedure to withdraw from the convention. Henrique Garbino and Priscyll Anctil Avoine argue for a critical assessment of the rationale behind this decision, and its consequences Read more
September 22, 2025

☢️ What the two-peer nuclear challenge means for NATO and European security 

Adérito Vicente The rise of China as a nuclear peer to the US, amid deepening strategic ties with Russia, poses an unprecedented 'two-peer challenge' to NATO. Adérito Vicente examines how this shifting landscape endangers alliance cohesion. Here, he argues for a fundamental rethinking of Europe’s deterrence and defence posture  Read more
September 16, 2025

☢️ The democratic cost of nuclear weapons

Sterre Van Buuren Nuclear weapons come with a hidden cost: they erode democracy. In every nuclear state, secrecy, executive powers and stifled debate cut the public off from their government’s nuclear decision-making. Sterre van Buuren explains why this is – and why citizens must still push for more accountability Read more
September 10, 2025

☢️ Enduring lessons or outdated logic? Updating Europe’s nuclear thinking 

Linde Desmaele Cold War-era nuclear thinking can help explain how today’s challenges emerged. But Linde Desmaele warns that uncritical reliance on such thinking leads to misguided policies. Outdated frameworks can distort our understanding of how nuclear weapons are classified, how Russian intent is interpreted, what counts as success, and which actors will shape Europe’s nuclear future  Read more

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Advancing Political Science
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