Disarmament and Globalisation Project

Disarmament and Globalisation: Old and New Wisdom
Public Conference, 7 January 2008, Brunei Gallery, SOAS

Marking the launch of a new research project at the Centre for International Studies and Diplomacy

Disarmament has almost disappeared from Western-led academic, civil society, and international political debate. The academic shift away from disarmament as a whole in favour of distinct compartmentalized approaches follows changes in governments’ strategies, especially the change of US-led policy from mutual reduction and control towards pre-emption and assertion of the rights of ‘haves’ against ‘have-nots’. One by one the painfully created traditional foundations of global security are being undermined, discarded, halted in mid-construction or simply allowed to decay. This project is designed to re-energise an international constituency capable of carrying through a realistic risk-based global disarmament agenda linked to an effective trajectory for arms control based on applied international and development studies and public policy.

The launch of this project will take place at a public conference at the School of Oriental and African Studies on the 7 January 2008. Baroness Shirley Williams and the leading German SPD MP Gert Weisskirchen will give keynote addresses. Participants include Lord Archer of Sandwell, Prof. Alyson Bailes, Dr Kennette Benedict, Prof. Ken Booth, Prof. Stephen Chan, Prof. Chris Cramer, Lord Hannay of Chiswick, Prof. Anatol Lieven, Dr Dan Plesch, General The Lord Ramsbotham, Prof. Ron Smith, Prof. William Walker, and Brian Wood of Amnesty International.

For further information on the conference and research programme see our website.