How could the initial discoveries in the field of atomic energy be translated decades later into weapons of previously unknown power? How did we go from a ‘conventional superweapon’ to a ‘political’ weapon, the aim of which is to inhibit a potential state aggressor from taking action, to ‘dissuade’ him? What challenges have been posed by the spread of nuclear weapons around the world and by the non-proliferation regime? What is the reality of nuclear disarmament? Can we draw up a typology of ‘nuclear crises’?
These are just some of the questions that will be addressed in this course, which aims to put the history of nuclear deterrence in terms of international relations into perspective, from its origins to the present day. This will involve dating and defining the concept of ‘deterrence’ and studying its contribution to defence and security policies over more than seven decades. The approach will be both thematic and chronological, ranging from the 1930s to the Cold War, then to the post-Cold War period up to the current conflict in Ukraine. Particular attention will be paid this year to the history of France’s nuclear defence policy and the interactions between strategic debate and domestic political life.
Frédéric Gloriant (directeur du CIENS / IHMC) et Dominique Mongin (docteur en histoire, expert associé au CIENS)
6 ECTS (12 séances de 2h)
Mardi 16h-18h. ENS, 45 rue d’Ulm, Salle Lettres 2, couloir BC 2ème étage.