Last updated: 30 April, 2014

Faculty of Social Sciences

Communication and Nuclear Weapons

63-410-18

Lecturer: Prof. Shlomo Shpiro

Year: 2014Course: BA Seminar

Semester: 1st Credit:2 points

Class day and hours: Monday 14:00-18:00 (First semester only)

Office Hours: Tuesday 12:00-14:00 (Pending Previous Coordination on

Tel: 03-5318578).

Office:Mexico building 213, The Second Floor (Head of the Political Science Department's Office).

Email:

Course Aims and Structure

The development of nuclear weapons by the US during WWII had a profound effect on modern warfare and on international relations. Unlike conventional weapons, nuclear weapons are mainly aimed for deterrence, not for use. The development and proliferation of nuclear weapons is regulated by international treaties and organizations. Deterrence is comprised of three elements - abilities, intentions and communication. This seminar will examine a wide range of issues relating to nuclear weapons and communication, including the development of nuclear weapons and its use in WWII, nuclear deterrence and nuclear strategy, media coverage of nuclear weapons, anti-nuclear movements and the media, nuclear weapons in popular culture and cinema, nuclear accidents and safety, and crisis communication. The course will include extensive use of audio-visual material, media and cinematic content.

Learning Outcomes

The course is aimed to provide students with basic knowledge and understanding of the development and effects of nuclear weapons, nuclear deterrence, and the interaction between nuclear issues and the media. It will teach students how to write a seminar paper and will guide them through the selection of research topic and question, secondary research questions, research methodology, source selection and usage, and the presentation of the seminar topic and results.

Course Tasks

1. Active participation in classes. Students absent for more than three lectures per semester, other than due to approved reasons, may get a 'failed' grade. Classes will include extensive use of audio-visual material. This material is an integral part of classes and will be included in the exam.

2. Written seminar paper on a topic approved by the course lecturer. Seminar papers will be about 7000 words in size. Citation style is APA. Further information will be distributed in class during the first classes. Seminar papers will be due on the first day of the following academic year (usually mid October).

3. End of semester exam. The exam will cover the class material, reading material and audio-visual presentations.

Composition of Final Grade

Exam:20%

Seminar Paper:65%

Active Participation:15%

A student must achieve at least a passing grade (60/100) in each of the three class assignments to successfully pass this seminar.

Course Bibliography

Items marked with an asterisk (*) are compulsory reading.

The Development of Nuclear Weapons and Strategy

*Dean Burns R. and Siracusa J. (2013), Vol. 1, A Global History of the Nuclear Arms Race: Weapons Strategy and Politics, New York: Praeger, pp. 1-66.

N/A

*McLean S. (1986), How Nuclear Weapons Decisions Are Made, London: Macmillan, pp. 32-77, 85-127.

355.0335 HOW 1986 (1216664)

*Price R. and Tannenwald N. (1996), Norms and Deterrence: The Nuclear and Chemical Weapons Taboos, in Katzenstein P., The Culture of National Security, New York: ColumbiaUniversity Press, pp. 114-152.

Reserved under CUL (339480)

Nuclear Weapons and Regional Powers - United Kingdom and France

*Jackson R. (2000), V-Force: Britain’s Airborne Nuclear Deterrent, Shepperton (UK): Ian Allen, pp. 14-21, 30-67, 113-148.

N/A

*Paterson R. (1997), Britain’s Strategic Nuclear Deterrent: From before the V-Bomber to beyond Trident, London: Frank Cass, pp. 3-60, 116-134, 135-150.

N/A

Nuclear Weapons and Conflict Regions - Israel, India, Pakistan and Iran

Dean Burns R. and Siracusa J. (2013) Vol. 2, A Global History of the Nuclear Arms Race: Weapons Strategy and Politics, New York: Praeger, pp. 345-376, 479-520.

N/A

Israel's Nuclear Deterrence

*Cohen A., (1998), Israel and the Bomb, New York: ColumbiaUniversity Press, pp. 41-98, 195-276.

E355.0217 COH i (390818) – Stacks library (in central library)

*Evron Y. (1994), Israel’s Nuclear Dilemma, London: Routledge, pp. 81-138.

E355.0217 EVR i (253922)

Hersh S., (1991), The Samson Option, London: Faber & Faber.

E355.0217 HER s (503517)

Communication and Nuclear Deterrence

*Carruthers S. (2000), The Media at War, London: Macmillan, pp. 244-252.

070.44935502 CAR m (527260)

*Tucker R. (1985), Morality and Deterrence, in Hardin R., Mearsheimer J. et.al. (eds.), Nuclear Deterrence: Ethics and Strategy, Chicago: University of Chicago Press, pp. 53-71.

355.0217 NUC 1985 (108948) – Philosophy library

Tracey M., (1982), Censored: The War Game Story, in Aubrey C., Nukespeak: The Media and the Bomb, London: Comedia, pp. 38-54.

070.44935839 NUK 1982 (1216665)

Media, Public Images and Crisis Communication of Nuclear Weapons

Louis G. (1990), Speak No Evil: The Promotional Heritage of Nuclear Risk Communication, New York: Praeger, pp. 1-28, 92-99.

N/A

Various movies (see list at the end of this document)

Anti-Nuclear Movements and the Media

*Broadbent L. et.all. (eds.) (1985), War and Peace News, Milton Kynes: Open University Press, pp. 196-214, 246-261.

070.449355 WAR 1985 (43720)

*Rojecki A. (1999), Silencing the Opposition: Antinuclear Movements and the Media in the Cold War, Chicago: University of Illinios Press, pp. 1-15, 47-103.

070.44932 ROJ s (1176209)

Indian and Pakistani Nuclear Tests

*Richelson J. (2007), Spying on the Bomb, New York: Norton & Co., pp. 427-446.

327.1747 RIC sa (1170341)

Nuclear Disasters

*Moran B. (2009), The Day We Lost The H-Bomb, New York: Ballantine, pp. 3-36.

N/A

*Samuel Walker J. (2004) ThreeMilesIsland: A Nuclear Crisis in Historical Perspective, Berkeley: University of California Press, pp. 190-208.

N/A

Friedman S., Gorney C. & Egolf B. (1992),Chernobyl coverage: how the US media treated the nuclear industry, PublicUnderstanding of Science, pp. 305-323.

Ejournal (1183348)

Report – The President’s Commission on the accident at Three Mile Island (1979), Assessment of Media Performance, pp. 169-217. (

Recommended Movies

  • On The Beach
  • The Day After
  • Threads
  • Dr. Strangelove
  • China Syndrome
  • When the Wind Blows
  • The Forth Protocol

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