Keeping up Appearances: National Narratives and Nuclear Policy in France and Russia

TY - JOUR

T1 - Keeping up Appearances: National Narratives and Nuclear Policy in France and Russia

AU - Moran, Matthew

AU - Williams, Heather W.

PY - 2013

Y1 - 2013

N2 - In the latter part of the Twentieth Century, far-reaching geopolitical shifts have dramatically impacted the structure and composition of the international arena. This fluid and rapidly-changing international environment has provoked profound changes in how nation-states are perceived and perceive themselves. Questions of status and prestige have taken on new significance as shifts in traditional international power relations have challenged the historically-rooted narratives around which national identities are constructed. But how have nation-states responded to these global changes? What has been the effect on national identities? This article will explore the extent to which nuclear weapons policy in France and Russia reflects an attempt to reconcile narratives of national greatness with a gradual loss of influence and status in the international community. The article will draw on the 2010 France-UK military alliance and the New START Treaty to illustrate the arguments made.

AB - In the latter part of the Twentieth Century, far-reaching geopolitical shifts have dramatically impacted the structure and composition of the international arena. This fluid and rapidly-changing international environment has provoked profound changes in how nation-states are perceived and perceive themselves. Questions of status and prestige have taken on new significance as shifts in traditional international power relations have challenged the historically-rooted narratives around which national identities are constructed. But how have nation-states responded to these global changes? What has been the effect on national identities? This article will explore the extent to which nuclear weapons policy in France and Russia reflects an attempt to reconcile narratives of national greatness with a gradual loss of influence and status in the international community. The article will draw on the 2010 France-UK military alliance and the New START Treaty to illustrate the arguments made.

KW - nuclear policy

KW - France

KW - Russia

KW - national narrative

KW - nuclear weapons

U2 - 10.1080/14702436.2013.808101

DO - 10.1080/14702436.2013.808101

M3 - Article

VL - 13

SP - 192

EP - 215

JO - Defence Studies Journal

JF - Defence Studies Journal

IS - 2

ER -