Browsing by Subject "Nuclear Weapons"
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Item Open Access Atomic ambitions : a role-theoretic analysis of Brazilian and Indian quests for nuclear capability(2014) Reimold, Benjamin A.This thesis uses role theory to investigate the motivations of national leaders considering the acquisition of nuclear weapons. The correlation between expressed roles and proliferation decisionmaking is examined in the cases of Brazil and India within the framework of a most similar systems design. The material and ideational sources of Brazilian and Indian national role conceptions are traced using a model developed by Marijke Breuning (2011). In the Brazilian case, the expressed national role conceptions are found to be inconsistent with acquisition of nuclear weaponry, whereas in the Indian case, nuclear explosives were seen as powerful symbols consistent with the role conceptions of national iv leaders. The insights yielded by role theory in these cases provide a valuable addition to the existing nonproliferation literature.Item Open Access The super power versus a regional power : a game theoretical approach to the current nuclear tension between the US and Iran(2009) Aydın, SabriThis thesis investigates how the nuclear tension between Iran and the US is likely to result. Game theoretical analyses are applied in order to develop the argument of this study. First, the reason why states pursue nuclear weapons and the factors that push Iran to go nuclear are analyzed. Second, the mutual threat perceptions between the US and Iran are analyzed and the effect of such perceptions on Iran’s nuclear venture is investigated. Third, three US policy options, namely diplomacy, military operation and stimulating a regime change, are elaborated. Fourth, the interaction between the US and Iran is analyzed by using two different forms of games, complete and incomplete information, and two different methods, backwards induction and Bayes’s theorem. It is concluded that Iran’s nuclear pursuit is mostly security based and the nuclear tension between Iran and the US creates a vicious circle. While Iran is going for nuclear weapons primarily to protect itself from the external threats, the US challenge to Iran’s nuclear pursuit poses a security threat to Iran and makes Iranians much more eager to develop their own nuclear weapon capability.Item Open Access Why did India not sign the nuclear nonproliferation treaty? An analysis from realist and critical constructivist perspectives(2006) Akan, DidemThis thesis analyzes the reasons why did India not become a party to the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty. Realism and critical constructivism are chosen as the two theories to examine the constant factors leading to the Indian decision. First, Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT) is analyzed. Second, premises of offensive and defensive and neoclassical realism and their explanations of the Indian decision are highlighted and compared. Third, critical constructivist examination of the Indian decision is conducted mostly based on Jutta Weldes’ arguments. Last, the explanations of three variants of realism and critical constructivism on India’s decision are compared. It is concluded that realist variants explain the continuity of Indian decision as not joining the NPT mostly because of material elements, however, critical constructivists also show social, cultural and historical constructions behind the scene as important factors and try to point out to the internal dynamics that play a role in the representational practices.