1. 01 Arms Control Basics

    Arms control, non-proliferation, and disarmament have been cornerstones of international security and peace for decades. In turbulent times, limiting armament and restricting its use seems ...

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  2. 02 Chemical Weapons

    Chemical weapons (CW) are among the most gruesome means of warfare humans ever invented. This learning unit introduces CW and their effects, reviews the evolution of the norm against ...

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  3. 03 Biological Weapons

    The Ebola crisis in West Africa (2014-16) reminded us of the challenge to contain and manage pandemic diseases in a globalised and interconnected world. Although the Ebola outbreak was a naturally ...

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  4. 04 Nuclear Weapons I

    Understanding nuclear proliferation requires insights into technical aspects of nuclear weapons, the size of global nuclear weapons stockpiles, former and current nuclear arms control treaties, and...

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  5. 05 Nuclear Weapons II

    The Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT) is the single most important treaty covering nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament. This learning unit introduces the NPT and discusses its political,...

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  6. 06 WMD-free Zones

    While the world wrestles with the idea of a world free of nuclear weapons, some regions are already a step ahead. The whole southern hemisphere is a nuclear weapon-free zone (NWFZ) and also in the ...

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  7. 07 CBRN Terrorism

    Until the present day a large-scale terrorist attack carried out with weapons of mass destruction has not occurred, but it is often seen as (almost) inevitable and only a matter of time. This ...

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  8. 08 Missiles and Space

    In recent years space has become ever more important for both commercial and military applications. Some experts assume that the next major war will actually start in space. Given the importance of...

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  9. 09 Humanitarian Arms Control I

    After the Cold War, a new discourse on arms control and disarmament emerged driven, in part, by the severe humanitarian impact of landmines and explosive remnants of war on people's lives and ...

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  10. 10 Humanitarian Arms Control II

    Small arms and light weapons (SALW) are responsible for the majority of violent deaths world-wide. Some critics argue that its SALW which are the real weapons of mass destruction. This learning ...

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  11. 11 Arms Control In Europe

    When it comes to the control of conventional weapons, Europe has an impressive track record of treaties restricting conventional weapons and fostering transparency and confidence. This learning ...

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  12. 12 Export Controls

    For many states, the licit export of armaments is a lucrative endeavor. In order to guarantee that only licit transfers take place, states have export control measures in place. But how do they ...

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  13. 13 Compliance and Enforcement

    'Trust, but verify', was a famous slogan during the Cold War in the context of arms control. However, the question of how to verify that a state is honouring its commitments is (one of) the biggest...

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  14. 14 EU Disarmament and Non-Proliferation

    The European Union’s engagement with matters of non-proliferation and disarmament is multi-faceted and not always easy to grasp. This learning unit will navigate through the complex institutional ...

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  15. 15 Emerging Technologies

    The military always aims at making use of technological progress. This can entail new weapon systems, new concepts or doctrines, or even entirely new domains of operation such as space or ...

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  16. 16 Gender

    While the link between gender and disarmament may not be apparent at first, gender has played an important role in disarmament affairs since the early 20th century. The learning unit will ...

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  17. 17 Disarmament Law

    International non-proliferation and disarmament law forms part of international law and constitutes one of international law’s many sub-regimes. It addresses very specific issues of major ...

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  18. 18 UN Disarmament Machinery

    Humankind has always been perturbed by the use of particularly cruel means of war. As a result, a number of actions have been taken to restrict such use. The establishment of the United Nations ...

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  19. 19 Cyberconflict and Cyberstrategy

    Hardly a day passes without bad news from the cyber sector: Cyberattacks against state and military institutions are now almost the norm, and private individuals must be enormously wary of phishing...

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  20. 20 Arms Control History

    This learning unit aims to provide a brief history of arms control in a classical chronological order, focusing primarily on the West, from antiquity to the present. In doing so, it postulates that...

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