19. 9. 2024

This episode of The IR thinker traces the evolution of arms control from its Cold War origins to today’s challenges of governing rapidly advancing weapons technologies, in conversation with Dr Andrew Reddie. The discussion examines what makes arms control treaties work in practice, how non state actors and rising powers shape regimes, the implications of cases such as New START and the INF Treaty, and emerging ideas for regulating new nuclear and high tech weapons.

Andrew Reddie

Dr Andrew Reddie is Associate Research Professor at the Goldman School of Public Policy at the University of California, Berkeley, and Founder of the Berkeley Risk and Security Lab. His research sits at the intersection of technology, politics and security, focusing on how innovations in nuclear weapons, cybersecurity and artificial intelligence are reshaping international order and the governance of strategic weapons.

Publications:

Economic Statecraft in the 21st Century: Implications for the Future of the Global Trade Regime

Evidence of the unthinkable: Experimental wargaming at the nuclear threshold

Arms Control Workshop: Summary

19 Sanctions in an Era of Strategic Competition Get access Arrow

Content

00:00 - Introduction
02:16 - Evolution of Arms Control: From the Cold War to Technological Governance
05:32 - Weapons Under Current Arms Control Regimes
07:30 - Key Factors in Successful Treaty Implementation and Contemporary Challenges
11:09 - The Impact of Non-State Actors and Non-Superpowers on Arms Control
14:46 - Global Oversight and Supervision of Arms Control Regimes
17:23 - Verification Processes in Arms Control
19:52 - Identifying Loopholes in the Verification Processes
24:01 - The Implications of New START and INF Treaties on Modern Arms Control
27:44 - Contemporary Fears of a Renewed Arms Race
32:14 - The Unique Case of the USA as the Only User of Nuclear Weapons
33:05 - Enriched Uranium Weapons: A Closer Look
34:50 - China’s Approach to Arms Control
37:21 - Sino-Russian Consultations on Arms Control
38:38 - India and Pakistan: Approaches to Arms Control
39:13 - Iran and Israel: Divergent Approaches to Arms Control
41:07 - The United Kingdom and France’s Role in Arms Control
42:51 - Potential New Nuclear Weapon States: Candidates and Risks
47:39 - Innovative Approaches and Ideas for Strengthening Arms Control
50:03 - Incentives for States to Abandon Nuclear Weapons
51:15 - Governance of Nuclear Weapons: Current Frameworks and Future Directions
53:54 - Emerging Weapon Technologies and the Need for New Arms Control Regimes
56:31 - Prospective Areas for Future Research in Arms Control