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Nuclear-Weapons-Under-International-Law.pdf
Nuclear Weapons Under International Law: An Overview (Good for context on norms and treaties.)Provides short fact sheets on key topics like Who Has Nuclear Weapons?, New START, NPT, and Modernization.
Arms Control Association — Nuclear Weapons BasicsClear background articles on nuclear risk, policy, and science.
Bulletin of the Atomic ScientistsHelps users understand how verification works and why safeguards matter, in plain language.
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) — SafeguardsPlain English summaries of research on nuclear strategy, deterrence, and control policies. Why it’s useful: RAND provides short, accessible research summaries along with deeper reports.
RAND Corporation — Nuclear Weapons & Arms ControlEducational resources on risks, treaties, and nuclear materials security. Why it’s useful: NTI’s “Learn” sections are designed for a broad audience, with concise explainers and graphics.
Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI) — Nuclear WeaponsNonpartisan background on nuclear risk, disarmament, and policy choices. Why it’s useful: While a funder organization, its analysis pages are educational and neutral in tone for basic understanding.
Ploughshares Fund — Nuclear Security ResourcesObservations and explainers on nuclear deterrence and European security. Why it’s useful: Adds an international perspective on nuclear strategy, guardrails, and risk relevant to global multipolarity.
European Leadership Network — Nuclear IssuesFAS offers downloadable data and regular PDF updates on nuclear forces worldwide — helpful for charts and quick reference.
Status of World Nuclear Forces — Federation of American ScientistsUnited Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs provides neutral context, historical background, and links to key treaties and documents related to nuclear weapons and disarmament. (From this page, participants can access additional PDFs on NPT, disarmament conferences, etc.)
UNODA — Nuclear Weapons (Overview Page with PDFs and Resources)Foundational explanations of nuclear danger, escalation, and the Doomsday Clock—useful for public understanding.
Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists — Nuclear Risk ExplainedCombines expert analysis with audience questions, highlighting how alliance instability could influence nuclear decision-making in regions like East Asia and Europe.
Group video: WorldOregon
reat Decisions 2026: Ruptured Alliances & the Risk of Nuclear Proliferation (WorldOregon). Speaker: Alexander Montgomery, Professor, Political Science, Reed College
Great Decisions – World OregonExamines historical accidents and near-miss incidents involving U.S. nuclear weapons, highlighting the risk side of nuclear arsenals beyond intentional use.
Command and Control: Nuclear weapons and the illusion of safetyPortions of the Command and Control documentary are available in segments; they provide context for the mechanics of nuclear command systems and risks of miscalculation.
Command and Control – PBSPBS’s The Bomb covers nuclear origins through contemporary political implications, giving a broad historical arc that parallels the logic in Topic 4.
“The Bomb” (Documentary) Nuclear weapons – PBSFocuses on J. Robert Oppenheimer and the Manhattan Project, foundational history that helps explain the strategic logic that underpins deterrence in the nuclear age.
The Day After Trinity — (Oppenheimer & Manhattan Project)Uses archival footage to show how nuclear weapons were portrayed and understood in early decades; good for cultural framing.
Atomic Café — Historical Compilation DocumentaryLong-form panels featuring nuclear experts in educational settings.
Critical Nuclear Issues — Panel Discussions (Carnegie / CFR / CSIS)Former U.S. Senator Richard Lugar joined the Foreign Policy Association in discussing how to prevent nuclear proliferation and the way ahead for U.S. nuclear policy.
Nuclear Policy: Taking Stock and Looking Ahead with Richard Lugar – Foreign Policy AssociationW. Michael Reisman, Myres S. McDougal Professor of International Law at the Yale Law School joined the Foreign Policy Association to discuss how to prevent nuclear proliferation and the way ahead for U.S. nuclear policy.
Nuclear Policy: Taking Stock and Looking Ahead with Michael Reisman – Foreign Policy AssociationBeatrice Fihn and her organization, the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons, are the recipients of the 2017 Nobel Peace Prize. In May, 2017, she spoke on "The Case for a Nuclear Ban Treaty" at the Foreign Policy Association's high level meeting on nuclear policy at the United Nations.
The Case for a Nuclear Ban Treaty – Foreign Policy AssociationBalanced discussion on arms control erosion, modernization, and what guardrails remain possible in the Third Nuclear Age.
The Future of U.S. Nuclear Arms Control Policy — Carnegie Endowment PanelA real Great Decisions-style session showing how groups engage with nuclear risk, alliance uncertainty, and proliferation concerns through both presentation and discussion.
Group video: First United Methodist Church of Palo AltoFormat: Lecture + Discussion — Public Library Program. Shows how facilitators introduce nuclear security topics and guide participants through complex issues like deterrence and alliance trust.
Group video: Manitowoc Public LibraryOne of the world’s leading academic centers on nuclear deterrence, arms control, and escalation risk. The Belfer Center combines policy realism with historical analysis and is widely cited across the political spectrum.
Provides declassified documents, timelines, and historical analysis explaining how nuclear decisions were actually made—excellent for understanding how we got here.
CSIS hosts a dedicated nuclear issues section covering deterrence, modernization, arms control, and emerging risks. Clear, policy-focused, and non-sensational.
An international platform focused on nuclear risk reduction, escalation management, and confidence-building measures, with a strong global and non-U.S. orientation.
An educational nonprofit preserving the history of the Manhattan Project and the early nuclear age, without advocacy framing.
Provides plain-language background on nuclear weapons, treaties, and risks. While policy-engaged, its educational materials are accessible and fact-driven.
Explains the real-world mechanisms used to prevent miscalculation and accidental escalation—an often overlooked but crucial aspect of deterrence.
Run by respected nuclear experts, this site explains nuclear strategy, arms control, and missile issues in a surprisingly accessible way.
A definitive history of arms control from the Cold War to the present. It explains how deterrence alone was insufficient and how diplomatic guardrails were built — then partially dismantled — offering a big-picture context for the Third Nuclear Age. Read more
A classic and accessible debate between two leading theorists of nuclear proliferation. Waltz argues that proliferation can stabilize through deterrence, while Sagan emphasizes risk and miscalculation — perfect for framing discussion groups around competing explanations. Read more
Focused on the post-Cold War nuclear world, this book explains how multiple nuclear powers and new technologies create a different strategic environment than the classic bipolar Cold War. It bridges history and present-day tensions. Read more
A thoughtful exploration of ethical questions and strategic frameworks related to nuclear deterrence. This helps facilitators guide conversations on moral risk, justification of deterrence, and public responsibility. Read more
Although focused on China’s military strategy, it is highly relevant for understanding how nuclear and information-age technologies intersect with China’s strategic posture in the broader nuclear ecosystem — crucial for Topic 4’s focus on multipolarity. Read more
This book uses Cold War experience as a springboard to analyze contemporary deterrence challenges, helping participants see what’s changed and what strategic lessons carry over — ideal for bridging past and present in discussions. Read more
A solid overview of how regional nuclear actors think about strategy and conflict. Useful for leaders looking to ground discussions of nuclear strategy beyond the U.S.–Russia paradigm. Read more
A shorter, accessible history that frames nuclear weapons as a defining global risk of the 20th century and beyond. Great for group members who want a readable primer on nuclear dangers and ethical urgency. Read more
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