Sort Articles

nuclear weapons

July 31, 2026

☢️ Nuclear legitimacy is back, but geopolitical fragmentation limits deployment

Jan Nathrath Nuclear energy is back at the centre of politics, but that doesn't guarantee a nuclear revival. Jan Nathrath shows why political enthusiasm alone cannot deliver new reactors and how geopolitical competition is reshaping access to international nuclear cooperation. For many Western newcomer states, the near-term prospects for nuclear deployment depend on whether alternative vendors can demonstrate reliable project delivery Read more

June 15, 2026

☢️ Lessons for nuclear proliferation from the myth of Orpheus

Leonardo Bandarra The 2026 Nuclear Proliferation Treaty Review Conference revealed a treaty still alive, but under strain. Yet the real danger, argues Leonardo Bandarra, may be less dramatic than collapse. States may keep praising the NPT, while trusting it less. The myth of Orpheus offers a simple warning about what doubt can destroy Read more

April 10, 2026

☢️ Europe is too late to play the nuclear game

Olamide Samuel France’s new nuclear posture and Russia’s nuclear build-up in Belarus have made Europe feel vulnerable. But, argues Olamide Samuel, stronger nuclear rhetoric will not make Europe safer or more independent. Europe’s real task is to rebuild arms control, consultation, and dialogue before nuclear danger becomes harder to contain Read more

February 2, 2026

☢️ Nuclear euphemisms: how 'deterrence' masks escalation

Konstantin Schendzielorz Deterrence is back — but not as we knew it. Once a strategy of nuclear restraint, the term is now being stretched to justify aggressive military actions, at home and abroad. Konstantin Schendzielorz argues that, as meanings shift, so do red lines. The nuclear umbrella may be turning into a very real sword Read more

January 23, 2026

☢️ How nuclear weapon reductions backfired for NATO

Wannes Verstraete Russia continues to rely on its sub-strategic nuclear arsenal, and NATO is therefore hoping in vain for sub-strategic nuclear arms control negotiations. For three decades, says Wannes Verstraete, the Alliance has merely been 'waiting for Godot' Read more

December 15, 2025

☢️ The many moving pieces of nuclear order

Carmen Wunderlich The global nuclear order is more crowded than ever, with new actors, rules, and arenas constantly emerging. Carmen Wunderlich and Martin Senn argue, however, that this is less chaos than a continuous process of ordering and disordering. They show how nuclear politics are made, unmade, and remade in everyday practice Read more

November 12, 2025

☢️ Moscow brandishes threats, Beijing clings to caution

Mariam Mumladze China and Russia march in unison on the global stage. Behind the choreography, however, lies a partnership of limits and unequal leverage. United in criticising Washington and trading weapons, the two countries diverge sharply on nuclear doctrine. Mariam Mumladze shows how shared opposition to the West conceals deeper strategic differences, exposing the limits of their so-called 'no-limits' partnership Read more

November 5, 2025

☢️ Using emerging technology for escalation management

Jamie Withorne Technology is not a cure-all. But it can help reduce the risk of nuclear weapons crises. Jamie Withorne shows how increasingly accessible information can harness transparency and 'fact check' the credibility of nuclear threats Read more

The Loop

Cutting-edge analysis showcasing the work of the political science discipline at its best.