JSPES, Vol. 45, No. 3-4 (Fall-Winter 2020)
pp. 305-324

Nuclear Resistance Movements

Shivani Yadav

Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi

The paper looks at the impediments in examining nuclear resistance movements in global literature and how the absence of a separate academic discipline of ‘nuclear studies’ results in key aspects of nuclear politics being omitted from research. Towards this aim, the paper tries to chronicle the genesis, evolution, character and goals of global nuclear resistance movements in order to analyze the various underlying ideologies. The paper first gives an overview of the global status of nuclear energy in order to answer the question: where are we and how did we get there? The rationale for the spread of nuclear energy in the world is discussed before moving on to global movements against nuclear technology, which began with the start of scientific research to make a nuclear bomb. Finally, an attempt is made to understand common features in discourse on international nuclear politics.