Nuclear Opportunism

Guest: University Assistant Professor of Political Science Mark Bell

During the Cold War, the Soviet and American nuclear arsenals served largely as a deterrent to an all-out military confrontation. Both countries possessed enough weapons to effectively destroy each other. This concept of mutually assured destruction made nuclear war unthinkable. But as more nations have acquired nuclear capability, the purposes these weapons serve in international politics has changed. Each country uses its nuclear arsenal in its own unique way to establish its place in the world order. This week on Access Minnesota, University of Minnesota Assistant Professor of Political Science Mark Bell discusses his concept of nuclear opportunism.