Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Nuclear Identity

Jonathan Hogg’s forthcoming book British Nuclear Culture

Last Friday, April 10, the Centre for the Study of Modern Conflict at the University of Edinburgh played host to a workshop on ‘Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Nuclear Identity’. This formed part of an ongoing series of workshops under the auspices of the British International Studies Association’s Global Nuclear Order Working Group. I was delighted to be able to organise this very stimulating and interesting session that brought together faculty, postgraduates, and practitioners from across the UK.

The aim of the day was to discuss and debate various interpretations of ‘nuclear identity’ and how the work we are doing in our different disciplines can fruitfully be shared. One of the main aims – for me certainly – was to grapple with how we understand ‘identity’ and how do we analyse it in our different disciplines and across disciplinary boundaries. In regard to this, I was struck by how much common group we all shared, whether working in history, political science, international relations, or within the nuclear establishment itself.

Nuclear Identity Symposium, April 2015

I’m delighted to announce a Call for Papers for a symposium I’m organising!

Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Nuclear Identity will take place in the School of History, Classics, and Archaeology (SHCA) at the University of Edinburgh on April 10, 2015. The event is co-hosted by the SHCA’s Centre for the Study of Modern Conflict and the British International Studies Association (BISA).

The workshop will be limited to 20 participants and short presentations of up to nine papers to stimulate discussion. The theme of ‘nuclear identity’ is broadly defined and can include (but is by no means limited to) how states, groups, and individuals identify as nuclear or anti-nuclear, how various forms of identity can be imposed or withdrawn, or how nuclear issues themselves are identified, codified, and analysed.

The purpose is to explore contemporary thinking on the past, present, and future of nuclear weapons from critical perspectives, foster links and dialogue between like-minded academics and research students, and stimulate collective thinking on a critical nuclear research agenda. The workshop welcomes participants from all disciplines, including (but not limited to) anthropology, history, international relations, political science, and sociology.

Postgraduate students are particularly welcomed, either presenting papers or as non-presenting attendees. Limited funds are available to postgraduate scholars to provide travel bursaries to defray the cost of attendance.

The full CfP can be found on the BISA Global Nuclear Order Working Group blog. If you have any queries, please do get in touch with me either here on the blog, or by email at: mcraig [at] staffmail [dot] ed [dot] ac [dot] uk

 

Critical Perspectives on Nuclear Weapons

On June 5, I’m delighted to be attending the BISA Global Nuclear Order Working Group workshop Critical Perspectives on Nuclear Weapons (try saying that after a few beers). This is a great chance to engage in discussions about nuclear issues with some fantastic scholars from across the UK and beyond, looking at issues such as deterrence and disarmament, nuclear identity, and nuclear legitimacy.

HOTCUS 2013

Has it really been that long since the last post? It appears it has. Regardless, new year, new regime. Things are no less busy, but hopefully I’ll find time to post more over the coming year.

Once again I’ll be giving a paper at the Historians of the Twentieth Century United States Conference. This time it takes place at the University of Northumbria in Newcastle. Last year, my paper was focussed on a very tight time period. This year, I’ve chosen to go a little bit broader and also address some of the wider themes of my doctoral thesis. Full paper outline after the jump.

HOTCUS Conference 2012

The other day I received notification from the organising committee of the 2012 Historians of the Twentieth Century United States (HOTCUS) conference that my paper proposal had been accepted. My intention is to discuss US-UK motivations towards the Pakistani nuclear issue in 1978-79, looking a how ideas of democracy, civilisation, and religion influenced their stances alongside the more traditional geopolitical and Realist conceptions of international relations. Here’s the abstract:

During 1978 and into 1979 it became apparent to Western observers that Pakistan was engaging in covert efforts to produce the raw material for nuclear weapons. In light of this, the United States and United Kingdom jointly engaged in diplomatic strategies aimed at curbing the emergent Pakistani nuclear programme. Using recently declassified and previously unseen sources from both sides of the Atlantic, this paper argues that US-UK cooperation in the (ultimately fruitless) attempt to prevent Pakistani development of nuclear weapons capability was far closer and more involved than traditionally suggested.