In this course we will study the politics of the possession, management, and control of the most destructive weapon ever created. We will analyse the history and current policies of the states that possess nuclear weapons, as well as “threshold” states that maintain some ability to acquire a nuclear capability. We will examine the attempts to control the spread of these weapons, successful and otherwise, and even examples of states giving up nuclear capabilities. The course will also explore contemporary trends in technological developments that have an impact on nuclear balances, the links between the civilian nuclear industry and weapons programmes, and the illicit or ‘blackmarket’ trade in nuclear materials.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:
- Conduct historically-informed analysis of the different nuclear postures of those states that possess nuclear weapons.
- Critically examine how policymakers might be influenced by incentives and disincentives for both proliferation and nonproliferation.
- Dissect debates surrounding nuclear arms control and disarmament including the contemporary and likely future prospects for both.
- Make informed arguments about the best ways to use policy to reduce nuclear proliferation and encourage nuclear restraint.
- Analyse, and make informed arguments about, the role of new technological developments in challenging the existing global nuclear order.
- Develop the capacity to present strong arguments in their written and oral work and to link relevant concepts to actual practice skills (as developed through written assessments, in-class discussions and tutorial-based activities).
Indicative Assessment
- Tutorial participation (10) [LO 1,2,3,4,5,6]
- Mid-term quiz (15) [LO 1]
- Research Essay (35) [LO 2,3,4,5,6]
- Final Examination (40) [LO 2,3,4,5,6]
The ANU uses Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. While the use of Turnitin is not mandatory, the ANU highly recommends Turnitin is used by both teaching staff and students. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the ANU Online website.
Workload
This course comprises some 130 hours of activity over 12 weeks, including some 24 hours of lectures or an equivalent activity and some 12 hours of tutorials or equivalent activity. The course comprises a maximum of 6k words of assessment or the equivalent. Please note this is a general guide, averaged over the semester and the final hours ultimately depend on the individual's ability in reading and writing.
Requisite and Incompatibility
Prescribed Texts
Prescribed readings will be made available on Wattle
Majors
Minors
Fees
Tuition fees are for the academic year indicated at the top of the page.
Commonwealth Support (CSP) Students
If you have been offered a Commonwealth supported place, your fees are set by the Australian Government for each course. At ANU 1 EFTSL is 48 units (normally 8 x 6-unit courses). More information about your student contribution amount for each course at Fees.
- Student Contribution Band:
- 14
- Unit value:
- 6 units
If you are a domestic graduate coursework student with a Domestic Tuition Fee (DTF) place or international student you will be required to pay course tuition fees (see below). Course tuition fees are indexed annually. Further information for domestic and international students about tuition and other fees can be found at Fees.
Where there is a unit range displayed for this course, not all unit options below may be available.
| Units | EFTSL |
|---|---|
| 6.00 | 0.12500 |
Course fees
- Domestic fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 2024 | $4440 |
- International fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 2024 | $6000 |
Offerings, Dates and Class Summary Links
ANU utilises MyTimetable to enable students to view the timetable for their enrolled courses, browse, then self-allocate to small teaching activities / tutorials so they can better plan their time. Find out more on the Timetable webpage.
Class summaries, if available, can be accessed by clicking on the View link for the relevant class number.
First Semester
| Class number | Class start date | Last day to enrol | Census date | Class end date | Mode Of Delivery | Class Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3080 | 17 Feb 2025 | 24 Feb 2025 | 31 Mar 2025 | 23 May 2025 | In Person | N/A |
