Patricia Shamai is Principal Lecturer in International Relations and Associate Head of School in the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences at the University of Portsmouth. Her research addresses the norms associated with nuclear, chemical and biological weapons. She has previously worked with the UK Ministry of Defence, NATO specialists and US government experts to support dialogue and collaboration to address deterrence in a twenty-first-century context.

• Preface1. Introduction 2. Origins3. The Cold War4. Taboos and Stigmas5. Non-Proliferation, Arms Control and Popular Protest6. After the Cold War7. 9/11 and the Nuclear Threat8. ConclusionNotesFurther Reading

“An accurate history and nuanced analysis of nuclear weapons’ impact on global politics – accessible and insightful for experts and non-experts alike.” Carlotta Minnella, European University Institute“Understanding nuclear weapons is absolutely essential if we are to prevent their future use. This book does an excellent job of bringing clarity to an increasingly difficult problem." Andrew Futter, University of Leicester