Abstract
This chapter introduces what is an important but relatively new area of international security: the protection of nuclear weapons, nuclear and radioactive materials in civil use, and their associated infrastructure and assets. It traces the development of the concept of nuclear security since the beginning of the atomic age and discusses key events and changes in nuclear threat perceptions and political priorities over the subsequent decades that spurred the development of new physical, organizational, regulatory, and international measures to address them. The purpose of the chapter is to set the scene for the overall volume, highlighting key initiatives and aspects of nuclear security explored in later chapters and setting out the book’s constituent sections. It also outlines the approach and objectives of The Oxford Handbook of Nuclear Security, which is primarily a resource designed to provide a comprehensive examination of nuclear security—achieved by taking a multidisciplinary approach to exploring its different dimensions and through inviting a multitude of international perspectives.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | The Oxford Handbook of Nuclear Security |
| Editors | Christopher Hobbs, Sarah Tzinieris, Sukesh Aghara |
| Place of Publication | Oxford |
| Publisher | Oxford Univerity Press; Oxford |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 18 Sept 2023 |
