Stephen Herzog

Piece w/ @laurensukin.bsky.social & @lanoszka.bsky.social out in Apr. 2026 issue of Journal of Conflict Resolution. We surveyed publics in 24 countries in 2023: Calibrated US restraint/support for Kyiv was reassuring. Strong resolve isn't the only thing that can reassure.

doi.org/10.1177/0022...

The Nonproliferation Review Beyond Nuclear Deterrence - Special Issue 1. Volume 31, Issue 4-6 of The Nonproliferation Review

We recently published 2 special issues featuring work from the Beyond Nuclear Deterrence Working Group @managingtheatom.bsky.social. You can read both collections, with many #OpenAccess articles.

Special Issue 1: tandfonline.com/toc/rnpr20/3...

Special Issue 2: tandfonline.com/toc/rnpr20/3...

Somebody shoot that god damn dove before it triggers a global thermonuclear war!

Atomic Backfires: When Nuclear Policies Fail A sobering edited volume on how efforts to reduce nuclear weapons dangers may sometimes wind up exacerbating them.The existential risks posed to the world

A free book about bad decisions involving nuclear weapons. What's not to like?

Atomic Backfires: When Nuclear Policies Fail
direct.mit.edu/books/oa-edi...

Thanks to @herzogsm.bsky.social and the other editors for providing open access at @mitpress.bsky.social

Why do so many countries not participate in Biological Weapons Convention CBMs? Sharma & Hobson analyze CBM submissions & 51 working papers/statements. They identify capacity gaps & system design as obstacles & propose reforms.

New #OpenAccess in the NPR: doi.org/10.1080/1073...

Nuclear Belarus: explaining Russian security guarantees In 2022, Russia announced its plans to deploy nuclear weapons to Belarus, which would mark the first such deployment in an allied state since the Soviet Union’s collapse. Deploying nuclear weapons ...

In our newest issue of the NPR, @alexsorg.bsky.social of @managingtheatom.bsky.social has written an article looking into Russian security guarantees to Belarus.

Check it out here: doi.org/10.1080/1073...

The fall of Qaddafi and its contribution to shaping Russia’s strategic outlook and policy on nuclear nonproliferation Vladimir Putin and other influential Russian figures portrayed Libyan strongman Muammar Qaddafi’s relinquishment of his nuclear program as a strategic error: they often declared that the decision f...

Russia’s takeaway from Libya was stark: Qaddafi gave up his nuclear weapons program and still fell. In our newest issue, Norman Cigar traces how that lesson shaped Putin’s strategic culture and Russia’s approach to nuclear nonproliferation.

doi.org/10.1080/1073...

The Nonproliferation Review Publishes research on nonproliferation studies, including issues of state-run weapons programs and economic and environmental effects of weapon proliferation.&n

We are excited to join the BlueSky community and will soon be posting updates about our articles on WMD!

As always, we are looking forward to your submissions. Check us out online: www.tandfonline.com/journals/rnp...

In a new article, CISAC affiliates Lauren Sukin and J. Luis Rodriguez, along with colleague Stephen Herzog, challenge the idea that nuclear deterrence and disarmament are opposites, drawing on new global survey data from 24 countries.
www.cambridge.org/core/journal...

Atomic Backfires The existential risks posed to the world by nuclear weapons are growing. Efforts to halt nuclear proliferation, manage crises, promote arms control, and buil...

Was a pleasure yesterday to help introduce the terrific new book on unintended negative consequences of counterproliferation, alliance, and arms control policies with editors Stephen Herzog, Ariel Petrovics, and David Giles Arceneaux. The e-book is open access.
mitpress.mit.edu/978026205185...

1/4

As the Trump administration’s “What about China?” nuclear arms control agenda for a New START follow-on unfolds, here’s a 2020 throwback. @thebulletin.org

Link here: doi.org/10.1080/0096...

4/4

While a new legally-binding agreement would be ideal, policymakers and scholars should probably be thinking about how the next generation of arms control can be successful without the same legal status of a treaty.

3/4

This represents the new era of U.S. domestic political polarization on nuclear arms control and has long-term potential to undermine all bilateral initiatives with Russia. A future arms control-minded president will likely struggle to get Senate approval for a formal treaty.

2/4

“What about China?” is here to stay. This is likely not a Trump-only phenomenon, but a durable feature of U.S. domestic politics around nuclear arms control.

1/4

As the Trump administration’s “What about China?” nuclear arms control agenda for a New START follow-on unfolds, here’s a 2020 throwback. @thebulletin.org

Link here: doi.org/10.1080/0096...

Are deterrence and disarmament compatible?

In a new paper with @jluisrodriguez.com & @herzogsm.bsky.social, we question the common deterrence-disarmament divide.

With a survey of nuclear attitudes, we show publics around the world simultaneously support both policies.

tinyurl.com/5cbf76cx

Atomic Backfires: When Nuclear Policies Fail Join MTA for a Book Talk with Dr. Stephen Herzog, Professor of the Practice at the Center for Nonproliferation Studies and Associate of the Project on Managing the Atom; Dr. Giles David Arceneaux, Ass...

ONE WEEK until we hear from @herzogsm.bsky.social, @gdavidarceneaux.bsky.social & Dr. Ariel Petrovics on their newly released "Atomic Backfires: When Nuclear Policies Fail"

www.belfercenter.org/event/atomic...

In this new open access article in @poppublicsphere.bsky.social, co-authored by @laurensukin.bsky.social and @herzogsm.bsky.social, we present evidence that challenges key assumptions about nuclear politics.

NOW OUT ON FIRSTVIEW!!

Rethinking the Deterrence-Disarmament Dichotomy: The #Complex #Landscape of #Global #Nuclear #Weapons #Preferences

By @laurensukin.bsky.social, @jluisrodriguez.com & @herzogsm.bsky.social

doi.org/10.1017/S153...

#OpenAccess from @poppublicsphere.bsky.social -

Rethinking the Deterrence-Disarmament Dichotomy: The Complex Landscape of Global Nuclear Weapons Preferences - https://cup.org/49ZEBjz

- @laurensukin.bsky.social, @jluisrodriguez.com & @herzogsm.bsky.social

#FirstView

Are nuclear issues at the heart of the Russia-Iran relationship? Interview with Nicole Grajewsi

As some of you already know, I recently moved to Paris for a tenure-track Assistant Professor position at @ceri-sciencespo.bsky.social @sciencespo.bsky.social. Here is a recent interview I did on my research agenda and background. www.sciencespo.fr/ceri/en/news...

5/5

Foreword by Scott Sagan and chapters from a stellar group of contributors: Dave Allison, Tyler Bowen, @dbsalisbury.bsky.social, Binn Cho, Kristin Ven Bruusgaard, Sarah Bidgood, @jjjcameron.bsky.social, @professorrdg.bsky.social, Eliza Gheorghe, Ulrich Kühn,
and @laurensukin.bsky.social.

4/5

It can be read as a collection, and each chapter can be assigned as a standalone for a course unit. Atomic Backfires is divided into four sections.

-The Costs of Counterproliferation
-When Escalation Management Fails
-Arms Control or Arms Racing
-Patron-Client Dilemmas

3/5

The volume’s contributors show how well-intentioned, standard operating procedure nuclear policies can sometimes exacerbate nuclear dangers.

2/5

If you are a scholar, practitioner, or student of nuclear weapons issues, we hope that you will give Atomic Backfires a read. Edited by me, @gdavidarceneaux.bsky.social, and Ariel Petrovics.

1/5

Great news! "Atomic Backfires: When Nuclear Policies Fail" is now #OpenAccess so that everyone can read it online. Thanks to generous support from @mitpress.bsky.social Direct to Open (D20). @managingtheatom.bsky.social @belfercenter.bsky.social

Check it out here:
doi.org/10.7551/mitp...

In the Nonproliferation Review, I recently published an #OpenAccess article about the institutional design of the TPNW. It addresses misconceptions about the treaty's intent and parameters. It suggests ways for proponents and opponents to fairly assess the #NuclearBan.

doi.org/10.1080/1073...

In the Nonproliferation Review, I recently published an #OpenAccess article about the institutional design of the TPNW. It addresses misconceptions about the treaty's intent and parameters. It suggests ways for proponents and opponents to fairly assess the #NuclearBan.

doi.org/10.1080/1073...

1/2

The Nonproliferation Review published a second special issue on Beyond Nuclear Deterrence. Co-edited by me, Hassan Elbahtimy & @professorrdg.bsky.social

In the #OpenAccess intro we review 2 years of activities & challenges of the Beyond Nuclear Deterrence Working Group: doi.org/10.1080/1073...

Our article "Atomic Responsiveness" by @smetanamichal.bsky.social @laurensukin.bsky.social @herzogsm.bsky.social & @mvranka.bsky.social recently sparked a scholarly discussion with @florianeblenkamp.bsky.social. We've just published a series of Policy Briefs that documents this exchange 👇