Publication

Bilateralism and Nuclear Security

Political scientists Huib Pellikaan and Niels van Willigen (Leiden University) use and elaborate on the theoretical insights from game theory in order to understand nuclear security in changing environment. Now that the relations between the US and Russia have deteriorated and smaller nuclear states like India and Pakistan have intensified their strategic nuclear arms race, North Korea’s nuclear tests and ballistic missile programme is high on the international agenda and [other] nuclear weapon states are modernising their arsenals. Pellikaan and Van Willigen argue that ‘it is highly unlikely that global nuclear security will ultimately be achieved through multilateral disarmament. (…) It is much more likely that states will opt for nuclear disarmament in a bilateral setting than in a multilateral setting.’

Author

Huib Pellikaan & Niels van Willigen

Date

31 July 2018

Links

Observer Research Foundation: Global Nuclear Security: Moving Beyond the NSS

• game theory
• grand strategy
• international relations
• political science