Navigating the Nuclear Marketplace: How States Select Acquisition Strategies

About

This seminar examines how domestic nuclear markets shape how states seek to acquire nuclear weapons. While scholars have studied the demand and supply drivers of nuclear proliferation extensively, little is known about how these two factors influence the behavior of states pursuing nuclear weapons. Understanding how states come to pursue different nuclear acquisition strategies can shed light on several important issues. What determines how much states are willing to invest in their efforts to acquire nuclear weapons? How do state elites navigate opportunities and constraints in their efforts to acquire such weapons? Why do many states opt for seemingly suboptimal acquisition strategies? Under what conditions do "rogue nuclear capitalists," such as A.Q. Khan, emerge as competing suppliers?

Please join us! Coffee and tea provided. Everyone is welcome, but admittance will be on a first come–first served basis.

Co-sponsored by Project on Managing the Atom