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9780415421065

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"'William Walker has done something special, compelling and persuasive. Perpetual Menace combines political science rigor with literary sensibility. The book is much more than another history of the nuclear era. Rather it is an innovative search for the impact of nuclear capabilities on global political stability. The result is not just original and enlightening, but surprisingly engaging and enjoyable.' - Aaron Karp, Old Dominion University, USA 'William Walker masterfully conceptualizes the ways in which states since 1945 have struggled to order their relations with each other and nuclear weapons. Valuable as history, international relations theory, and contemporary politics, this wise book concludes that the ""logic of restraint"" is the most feasible common ground on which all states could build a beneficial nuclear order today.' - George Perkovich, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Washington DC 'William Walker's depiction of mankind on a 21st century ""Ship of Fools,"" in danger of a nuclear shipwreck and sorely in need of savvy pilot, is frighteningly apt. Although his elegantly written new volume does not point to a single lodestar as a guide to safety, it helps us better appreciate the perilous waters we have traveled and the instruments at our disposal to stay afloat.' -- William Potter, Monterey Institute of International Studies, USA 'Walker is the only author who has really thought through the relationship between nuclear weapons and international order. His book contains a compelling historical narrative as well as a wealth of illuminating conceptual distinctions. It combines a strong and anxious moral concern with a thorough and realistic appraisal of the various possible strategies for dealing with the ""perpetual menace"" of nuclear weapons. I cannot think of a more timely and complete work on this crucial subject.' -- Pierre Hassner, Centre d'Etudes et de Recherches Internationales (CERI), Paris 'This book is a terrific achievement and fills a gap in the literature on international nuclear politics. By expertly weaving his theme of order through the historical, political, and strategic evolution of the contemporary international nuclear order, Walker has produced a book which speaks centrally to the perennial challenge of how to manage the threat to humanity's survival posed by the splitting of the atom. It is written in a highly accessible manner, and yet with a level of sophistication and authority which will lead to scholarly acclaim.' -- Nicholas Wheeler, Aberystwyth University, Wales"

'William Walker has done something special, compelling and persuasive. Perpetual Menace combines political science rigor with literary sensibility. The book is much more than another history of the nuclear era. Rather it is an innovative search for the impact of nuclear capabilities on global political stability. The result is not just original and enlightening, but surprisingly engaging and enjoyable.' Aaron Karp, Old Dominion University, USA

'William Walker has done something special, compelling and persuasive. Perpetual Menace combines political science rigor with literary sensibility. The book is much more than another history of the nuclear era. Rather it is an innovative search for the impact of nuclear capabilities on global political stability. The result is not just original and enlightening, but surprisingly engaging and enjoyable.' Aaron Karp, Old Dominion University

'William Walker has done something special, compelling and persuasive. Perpetual Menace combines political science rigor with literary sensibility. The book is much more than another history of the nuclear era. Rather it is an innovative search for the impact of nuclear capabilities on global political stability. The result is not just original and enlightening, but surprisingly engaging and enjoyable.' - Aaron Karp, Old Dominion University, USA 'William Walker masterfully conceptualizes the ways in which states since 1945 have struggled to order their relations with each other and nuclear weapons. Valuable as history, international relations theory, and contemporary politics, this wise book concludes that the logic of restraint is the most feasible common ground on which all states could build a beneficial nuclear order today.' - George Perkovich, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Washington DC 'William Walker's depiction of mankind on a 21st century Ship of Fools, in danger of a nuclear shipwreck and sorely in need of savvy pilot, is frighteningly apt. Although his elegantly written new volume does not point to a single lodestar as a guide to safety, it helps us better appreciate the perilous waters we have traveled and the instruments at our disposal to stay afloat.' -- William Potter, Monterey Institute of International Studies, USA 'Walker is the only author who has really thought through the relationship between nuclear weapons and international order. His book contains a compelling historical narrative as well as a wealth of illuminating conceptual distinctions. It combines a strong and anxious moral concern with a thorough and realistic appraisal of the various possible strategies for dealing with the perpetual menace of nuclear weapons. I cannot think of a more timely and complete work on this crucial subject.' -- Pierre Hassner, Centre d'Etudes et de Recherches Internationales (CERI), Paris 'This book is a terrific achievement and fills a gap in the literature on international nuclear politics. By expertly weaving his theme of order through the historical, political, and strategic evolution of the contemporary international nuclear order, Walker has produced a book which speaks centrally to the perennial challenge of how to manage the threat to humanity's survival posed by the splitting of the atom. It is written in a highly accessible manner, and yet with a level of sophistication and authority which will lead to scholarly acclaim.' -- Nicholas Wheeler, Aberystwyth University, Wales

Author Information

William Walker is Professor of International Relations at the University of St Andrews. His research interests include nuclear politics and the governance of technology.

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