Nuclear Weapons: Technology, Strategy, and Policy (DHP-P239)

Fall 2025 · DHP P239 · Tufts University · 3 credits · Undergraduate

What are the causes and consequences of nuclear weapons? How do nuclear weapons and related capabilities work from a scientific and technological perspectives? What is the physical impact of a nuclear explosion? What are the technical elements of delivery systems and what is the likelihood that one nuclear-armed state could disarm another? Will nuclear weapons be used in our lifetimes? Why do states sometimes pursue nuclear weapons and why do they sometimes stop that pursuit? What can gender, sex, race, and religion teach us about the politics of nuclear weapons? Can the use or even the mere possession of nuclear weapons ever be legally, ethically, and morally justified? How will emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and cyber weapons impact nuclear weapons? How should the United States and other nuclear-armed states structure their nuclear forces and design their nuclear strategies? Students will explore these issues from both technical, historical, and contemporary perspectives. The course will also touch briefly on more general issues related to international politics, international organizations, and science and technology.

Course codes: DHP-P239

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