(We will hold this event on Zoom. Full joining instructions will be sent to you by email near the time.)

We now face threats from a multitude of actors and within multiple domains. Throughout the Cold War, the world was focused upon the division between the US and the USSR and the threat of the devastating use of nuclear weapons. In the 21st century, conflict itself is changing form. State on state competition is no longer limited to conventional conflict, but also hybrid threats involving one or more domains, and competition below the level of armed conflict has the potential to destabilise the global status quo. Although states are still the primary actors, globalisation, the increased interconnectedness of the world and the increased reliance upon information technology, has meant that both state and non-state actors have a greater potential to cause harm and destruction.

Within this changing security context, the conference will be examining these topics:

• Nuclear weapons as a tool of coercion: the relevance of nuclear weapons to 21st century deterrence.

• The complexity of the interaction between conventional and nuclear threats; to what extent do nuclear weapons create deterrence against conventional and sub-threshold threats?

• To what extent do nuclear weapons deter threats from other weapons of mass destruction (WMD) in a 21st century context?

• The ethics of nuclear deterrence in a 21st century context.

• How does NATO conceptualise deterrence in a 21st century context?

Full Conference Agenda

This conference, organised by The Deterrence and Assurance Academic Alliance (DAAA), Kings College London, the University of Portsmouth and supported by The Defence Nuclear Organisation (DNO), provides a forum to discuss and debate these pressing issues. The event is online and includes international leading experts from academia, policy and military communities.

Please note that the conference will be held over two days. The organisers are keen to promote a supportive environment to encourage participation from early career researchers and young professionals. To this end, the second day of the conference will be a forum to promote papers and discussion from early career researchers and young professionals.

A selection of the best papers from the conference will be published in a special section of Defence Studies journal.

The principles of equality and diversity will be adhered to throughout the organisation and duration of this conference.

(We will hold this event on Zoom. Full joining instructions will be sent to you by email near the time.)