Russia and Nuclear Arms Control

As a state with one of the largest arsenals of nuclear weapons Russia is a key participant of nuclear non-proliferation regime and defines nuclear arms control as a priority of its foreign policy. This course will discover the logic and the frames of Russian nuclear arms control policies. You will learn the historical background and the modern context of bilateral US-Russian relations in nuclear arms control and understand how these relations influence the global nuclear non-proliferation regime. You will get the basic tools for analyzing Russian defence and security policy in regards to nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament.

Upon the completion this course the students will…

...be able to
- analyze the actions of a state from the point of view of the present treaties on nuclear arms control;
- come up with their own opinion on the problem commented by the arms control experts;
- make arguments supporting their position in discussions of nuclear arms control.

...get to know
- the technical, political and strategic aspects of agreements on nuclear arms control;
- the content of arms control treaties in which Russia participates;
- the trustworthy informational resources dedicated to the problem of nuclear arms control.

...be familiar with
- the special terminology in the area of arms control;
- the modern state and the perspectives of international policy regarding nuclear arms control;
- the basics of Russia’s nuclear arms control policy.

• Introduction. Nuclear Weapon: What's in a Name?
• Nuclear Arms Control
• The Legacy of the Cold War
• Strategic Nuclear Arms Control: From Limitations to Reductions
• Russia - U.S. Nuclear Arms Control Regime
• Challenges to the Regime