Time Schedule:
J Christian Kessler
SIS 490
Seattle Campus
Content varies from quarter to quarter.
Class description
Two different classes are offered: Mon & Wed Nuclear Energy, Nonproliferation, & International Safeguards; Tues & Thurs International Trade & National Security.
SIS 490W & 590D (MW) -- Nuclear Energy, Nonproliferation, & International Safeguards: Atoms for Peace envisioned wide contributions to medicine, agriculture, & science, not just generating electricity. This launched a global regime for peaceful uses of nuclear energy. But many countries secretly pursued nuclear weapons. Due to strategic, political, and economic realities, neither Eisenhower’s global regime nor many weapons programs came to fruition. First the International Atomic Energy Agency’s Statute and then the NPT were created to foster peaceful uses and stop nuclear weapons spread. Iraq and South Africa highlighted the failure of those systems, leading to a new much stronger system, now being tested by Iran, North Korea, & others. We will examine the technologies, the institutions, and the challenges confronting those institutions today. SIS 490V & 590C (TTh) -- International Trade & National Security: In the 1970s & 1980s proliferation of nuclear, chemical, & biological weapons led to new international structures, the Nuclear Suppliers Group, Australia Group, and others, to stop proliferation of these weapons. But A.Q. Khan developed a sophisticated global network to get Pakistan, (and North Korea, Iran, and Libya) nuclear weapons technology. Today technologies critical to weapons are also key to everyday life in & companies using these technologies are global. Foreign trade is the foundation of prosperity, but also a risk as nations and terrorists seek weapons of mass destruction. Controlling items is hard, controlling technology far harder. Can export controls & sanctions deal effectively with these threats?
Student learning goals
General method of instruction
lectures, discussion, readings, & three in class simulation exercises
Recommended preparation
Class assignments and grading
