Nuclear Dilemmas
FYSEMR 52G
Subject & Catalog Number
Course Information
Description
This first-year seminar explores major issues in nuclear weapons history and policy. Did the use of atomic bombs by the United States against Japan end the Second World War? Have nuclear arsenals prevented a direct conflict between nuclear powers since 1945? Why have some countries pursued nuclear arsenals while others have not? Could society survive a nuclear war in any meaningful sense, and should we prepare for that possibility? What harms has the pursuit of nuclear weapons caused to natural environments and human bodies? How have fictional portrayals shaped our understanding of the nuclear age? Is there any hope of eliminating nuclear weapons?
Our discussions will take up classic historical controversies about the role of nuclear weapons in war and international relations, as well as major debates about the theories of nuclear deterrence and proliferation. We will study the arguments of pacifists, feminists, and other critics of nuclear weapons, and we will use several films and a novel to consider the place of nuclear weapons in modern culture. In a final project, students will have the option of writing a “white paper” or “op-ed” on a current nuclear policy question or pursuing a historical or creative project in consultation with the instructor.
Class Notes
First-Year Seminars are available only to first-year students. You may apply to both Fall 2026 and Spring 2027 First-Year Seminars via the FYS lottery between July 6 and August 6, 2026 at 11:59PM-midnight.
You may apply to as many seminars each term as you would like, but we recommend you apply to at least six in fall and three in spring.
As part of your application, you must provide a brief statement on why you are interested in each seminar. You will be notified of lottery results for both fall and spring seminars at 5 pm on August 11. If you are unsuccessful in the lottery, you may still join any seminar with open seats. A list of open seminars and instructions on next steps will be available on the First-Year Seminar Program website August 11 at 12 Noon.
Not Available for Cross Registration
