MVZb1016 Security in the Nuclear Age

Faculty of Social Studies
Autumn 2024

The course is not taught in Autumn 2024

Extent and Intensity
2/0/0. 6 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Taught in person.
Teacher(s)
PhDr. Petr Suchý, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
PhDr. Petr Suchý, Ph.D.
Department of International Relations and European Studies – Faculty of Social Studies
Contact Person: Olga Cídlová, DiS.
Supplier department: Department of International Relations and European Studies – Faculty of Social Studies
Prerequisites
! MVZ106 Security in the Nuclear Age && ! NOW ( MVZ106 Security in the Nuclear Age )
Adequate command of English.
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
The goal of the course Security in the Nuclear Age is to acquaint students with the evolution of nuclear policies of nuclear weapons states in the second half of the 20th century, especially with the regard to the era of the Cold War and its end. During the course, students will devote their attention to the evaluation of the transformation of international security environment in the post-Cold War era and of the most serious security threats and issues of the Second nuclear age (e.g. proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and missile technologies, a role of nuclear weapons, rogue states).
Learning outcomes
Students will orient themselves in the evolution of the international system during and after the Cold War. They will be able to explain and characterize motives of states for proliferation of nuclear weapons or other sorts of WMD; they will understand basics of nuclear deterrence as practiced by various nuclear states since 1945; they will orient in evolution of nuclear arms races; evolution of arms control and disarmament; they will know and understand principles and aims of the most important arms control treaties dealing with limits, reductions, non-proliferation, testing or deployments of nuclear weapons or other types of WMD.
Syllabus
  • 1. Introduction to the course
  • 2. Basic concepts and terminology; WMD and their means of delivery
  • 3. Dawn of the nuclear age
  • 4. Massive Retaliation, the first era of American military superiority and the Soviet response
  • 5. From the second era of American superiority towards the strategic parity
  • 6. Evolution and role of the Soviet and American missile defense systems
  • 7. From détente to confrontation and back: the arms race and arms control in the 1970s and the 1980s
  • 8. The international security environment after the end of the Cold War and its impact on nuclear disarmament
  • 9. Enlargement of the nuclear club I.: The Great Britain, France and China in the Cold War
  • 10. Enlargement of the nuclear club II.: The Great Britain, France and China and evolution of their approaches towards nuclear weapons and nuclear deterrence
  • 11. The second nuclear age and the horizontal proliferation of weapons of mass destruction
Literature
  • GOLDSTEIN, Avery. Deterrence and security in the 21st century : China, Britain, France, and the enduring legacy of the nuclear revolution. Stanford, Calif.: Stanford University Press, 2000, 356 s. ISBN 0804746869. URL info
  • KUCHYŇKOVÁ, Petra and Petr SUCHÝ. Vývoj a výsledky procesů kontroly zbrojení a odzbrojování. Marnost nad marnost? (Evolution and Results of Arms Control and Disarmament.). 1st ed. Brno: IIPS, 2005, 235 pp. Studie. ISBN 80-210-3881-0. info
  • SUCHÝ, Petr. Americká protiraketová obrana a ruský pocit nejistoty (The U.S. Ballistic Missile Defense and Russian Insecurity). Obrana a strategie. Univerzita obrany, Brno: Ústav strategických studií, 2007, vol. 7, No 1, p. 29-44. ISSN 1214-6463. URL info
  • SUCHÝ, Petr. Reagan a říše zla. Vývoj americké zahraniční politiky a vztahů mezi supervelmocemi v letech 1981 - 1989. (Reagan and the Evil Empire. The Evolution of U. S. Foreign Policy and Superpower Relations between 1981 - 1989.). 1st ed. Brno: CDK, 2004, 283 pp. Politologická řada, svazek 16. ISBN 80-7325-046-2. info
  • FUTTER, Andrew. The politics of nuclear weapons. New, updated and completely. Cham: Palgrave Macmillan, 2021, xviii, 333. ISBN 9783030487362. info
Teaching methods
Lectures involve theoretical background of particular topics. Seminar papers aim to improve the ability of students to analyze issues of security in the nuclear age as well as the ability to use historical documents and primary sources and to work with them properly. Regular testing almost every week helps students to prepare properly for each class, to solve potential questions where they need more detail explanations, as well as maximize their chances of successful passing of the course.
Assessment methods
The course is concluded with a written exam. Overall assessment on which the final grade is based is composed of points gained for in the final written examination (30 points), eight on-line tests (40 points), seminar paper (20 points), and in class activity.
Language of instruction
Czech
Further Comments
The course is taught annually.
The course is taught: every week.
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