Rhys Crilley is a Lecturer in International Relations at the University of Glasgow

• Introduction1 'We thus drift toward unparalleled catastrophe': a brief history of nuclear weapons2 'Fire and fury like the world has never seen': understanding the Third Nuclear Age3 'I got it. I got it. Why don't we nuke them?', August to October 20194 'This is a high time for hypersonic missiles', November 2019 to January 20205 'The world of post-apocalypse movies', February to April 20206 'I can’t breathe', May to July 20207 'Money meant for face masks', August to October 20208 'A force that would shatter our nation rather than share it', November 2020 to January 2021Conclusion: it’s not enough to say 'a nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought', February 2021 to the presentIndex

Winner of the ISA Best Book in Science, Technology and Art in International Studies 2025 Award 'This is a timely and excellent book as President Putin lifts a ban on the testing of nuclear weapons and is facing pressure to develop Russia’s nuclear arsenal. This is one of the first books on the Third Nuclear Age and there will be many more. It has additional merit that it is short and rightly concludes that it is not enough to say “a nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought”. Unless we return to meaningful nuclear negotiations between nuclear weapon states, there will be a war in which nuclear weapons are used.'Lord David Owen, Former Foreign Secretary'The construction of the Third Nuclear Age rests on language and representations, and this book explores how nuclear weapons are understood by their illustration in a variety of contexts, from official policy documents to pop songs and social media memes... The multidisciplinary approach of this book makes it an essential read for everyone seeking to understand and comprehend the contemporary nuclear politics.'Aleena Saeed, Modern Diplomacy

Rhys Crilley is a Lecturer in International Relations at the University of Glasgow

• Introduction1 'We thus drift toward unparalleled catastrophe': a brief history of nuclear weapons2 'Fire and fury like the world has never seen': understanding the Third Nuclear Age3 'I got it. I got it. Why don't we nuke them?', August to October 20194 'This is a high time for hypersonic missiles', November 2019 to January 20205 'The world of post-apocalypse movies', February to April 20206 'I can’t breathe', May to July 20207 'Money meant for face masks', August to October 20208 'A force that would shatter our nation rather than share it', November 2020 to January 2021Conclusion: it’s not enough to say 'a nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought', February 2021 to the presentIndex

Winner of the ISA Best Book in Science, Technology and Art in International Studies 2025 Award 'This is a timely and excellent book as President Putin lifts a ban on the testing of nuclear weapons and is facing pressure to develop Russia’s nuclear arsenal. This is one of the first books on the Third Nuclear Age and there will be many more. It has additional merit that it is short and rightly concludes that it is not enough to say “a nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought”. Unless we return to meaningful nuclear negotiations between nuclear weapon states, there will be a war in which nuclear weapons are used.'Lord David Owen, Former Foreign Secretary'The construction of the Third Nuclear Age rests on language and representations, and this book explores how nuclear weapons are understood by their illustration in a variety of contexts, from official policy documents to pop songs and social media memes... The multidisciplinary approach of this book makes it an essential read for everyone seeking to understand and comprehend the contemporary nuclear politics.'Aleena Saeed, Modern Diplomacy

Rhys Crilley is a Lecturer in International Relations at the University of Glasgow

• Introduction1 'We thus drift toward unparalleled catastrophe': a brief history of nuclear weapons2 'Fire and fury like the world has never seen': understanding the Third Nuclear Age3 'I got it. I got it. Why don't we nuke them?', August to October 20194 'This is a high time for hypersonic missiles', November 2019 to January 20205 'The world of post-apocalypse movies', February to April 20206 'I can’t breathe', May to July 20207 'Money meant for face masks', August to October 20208 'A force that would shatter our nation rather than share it', November 2020 to January 2021Conclusion: it’s not enough to say 'a nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought', February 2021 to the presentIndex

Winner of the ISA Best Book in Science, Technology and Art in International Studies 2025 Award 'This is a timely and excellent book as President Putin lifts a ban on the testing of nuclear weapons and is facing pressure to develop Russia’s nuclear arsenal. This is one of the first books on the Third Nuclear Age and there will be many more. It has additional merit that it is short and rightly concludes that it is not enough to say “a nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought”. Unless we return to meaningful nuclear negotiations between nuclear weapon states, there will be a war in which nuclear weapons are used.'Lord David Owen, Former Foreign Secretary'The construction of the Third Nuclear Age rests on language and representations, and this book explores how nuclear weapons are understood by their illustration in a variety of contexts, from official policy documents to pop songs and social media memes... The multidisciplinary approach of this book makes it an essential read for everyone seeking to understand and comprehend the contemporary nuclear politics.'Aleena Saeed, Modern Diplomacy