Dissertation Plan
Proposed title: What role does gender play in the politics of Nuclear Weapons
Contents:
1. Introduction
2. Theoretical Overview of Gender“
3. Gender and disarmament
– Case Studies- Greenham Common and Aldermaston Women’s Peace Campaign
4. Gender and Non-proliferation
5. Evaluation
6. Conclusion
Introduction
Nuclear weapons are a source of Mass Destruction, the first bomb dropped by the US on Aug 6th and 9thon Hiroshima and Nagasaki killed approx. 200,000 people. The implications and the after effects were scene of pure anarchy. The reasoning behind these bombs and the authorised action by Franklin Roosevelt’s cost the lives of thousands of innocent civilians. The proliferation of Nuclear weapons has been argued and contended. There are currently 9 nuclear states with arsenal with the weapons of Mass destruction. Nuclear weapons are not cheap nor do they hold know benefits do the destruction it creates. The legislation and decision making by individuals can possibly in turn create great atrocities like the events of 1945. The risks of accidents and political instabilities have been evident in the past and dangerous and the possibility of Terrorists acquiring materials for a nuclear bomb creates fear. This dissertation will look at the role of which Genders plays in the politics of Nuclear Weapons. The first Chapter will critically analyse why looking at Gender is important, using material from various schools of thought and security studies. This is so we understand the link not only just in politics but in other forms of academia to apply it to the Question. The second Chapter will go in depth with various Feminist theories and link it to the politics of Nuclear Weapons. In history women have been at the forefront of non-proliferation protests in which will be looked at in more detail within the chapter. Chapter 3 will look at what how policies are gendered. For example, the legislation and decision making processes are largely made by Male political actors and in history women formed protests. Chapter 4 of the dissertation will give a thorough analysis of the role Male leader’s play in the politics of nuclear weapon. In the last Section this dissertation will look at Male leaders within the politics of Nuclear Weapons. Largely concentrating on languages used by Male political actors and whether mass destruction such as War are initiated by a dominant male force. For example, the legislation and decision making processes are largely made by Male political actors and in history women formed protests. To conclude the overall dissertation it would hope in answering all the following research questions throughout and give a great analysis on the role of Gender in the politics of Nuclear Weapons.
Methodology
Research Questions
1. Why is studying Gender Important?
2. How have the gendered logics of nuclear weapons impacted the disarmament movement?
To answer the research questions and develop a greater understanding to support the thesis I will look at both primary and secondary sources. Primary sources such as speeches, books and newspapers will help when looking at Gender and language. They will be used through the research period. The use of journals are also important to look at an in depth historical analysis of Gender and Nuclear Weapons. Secondary sources acquired such a conference proceedings will help in looking at the dominant decision makers and linking this back to whether Nuclear weapon policies are gendered.
Chapter 1- Theoretical Overview of Gender
– Gender plays a pivotal role in the contemporary world when explaining political matters. In the first section this dissertation will assess why it is important to study Gender. We first need to accept that Gender is a social meaning in regards to the shape of bodies. Various schools of thought such as Feminist IR scholars contend the idea of which Gender is integral to the study of world politics. This section will explore how behaviours influence policy and decision making and will further look at the relationship between Gender and Sex. This is so there is more insight into the role of Gender when looking at Nuclear Weapons. The relationship between what Gender and what sex is, is not as simple as it may seem. Therefore in order to increase our understanding and answer why gender is important, this dissertation must be aware of the differences. It should be possible to write the body into a discipline that tracks power relations and practices which impact so directly and often so devastatingly on actual bodies’ (199 Greenham, the opinion that ‘women-only actions offered a more complete guarantee of nonviolence’ (Liddington 1989: 235)7: 105).
– The first section will assess the relationship between Nuclear weapons and gender on how they intertwine. Although both can share the same interest on global agendas a gendered perspective is paramount in understanding the way political actors deal with nuclear weapons and the impact with the discourse that can come with it. Detonations affect both women and men but can have different biological and psychological impacts. The application of a gendered lens to the topic of Nuclear weapons discourse provides an insight to how policies related to weapons of mass destruction are gendered that is unpinned by notions of masculinity and femininity (UNDIR,2016). A perspective view of Gender challenges and diversifies the debate on the proliferation of Nuclear weapons. This in turn challenges the patterns of established power relations and helps reach the goals of complete Nuclear Disarmament. Another issue the dissertation will focus on is Representation. Within multilateral forums men are overrepresented and women are underrepresented with the concern over security. Failure to not understand Gender as a theory and ignoring gendered perspectives within any academia leads to lack of female participation resulting in global problems being ignored which often is contradicted in the prevailing international policy discourse on Nuclear weapons. Hence why this dissertation will be analysing Gender as a theory to contribute to the understanding of the role it plays in the politics of Nuclear Weapons. Theory is often represented, especially by those who see it as a tool, as ‘objective’ and ‘value-free’. A ‘theory’ is supposed to explain and predict things about the world (see Smith and Baylis 2005: 1–12).
Chapter 2:
In this chapter this dissertation will look at the various Feminist theories explaining the roles of Gender in Nuclear weapons. An insight into Greenham Peace protest and white paper trident is critical in looking at the social construct of the women wanting to end the proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. In particular this section will focus on Cynthia Enloe and Laura J shepherd and a variety of school of thought for this particular subject. In addition, there will be an assessment on security studies in regards to Nuclear weapons. This section will focus on stereotypes and behaviours of women. Insight onto whether gender is socially constructed or biological differences. For example the women of Greenham were described as mothering as they wanted to protect citizens as a response to the bombings in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. An analysis of various theories and thinkers and how they refer to stereotypes and use it in there literature. Arguably Margaret Thatcher was pro nuclear and wanted the proliferation of Nuclear weapons. Margaret Thatcher Open letter on nuclear disarmament (“The bomb has kept the peace for 40 years”). An analysis of both arguments will be evident in this chapter. “Margaret Thatcher” and “Indira Gandhi”. What is means to be masculine and what it means to be feminine? As it will look at both non-proliferation protestors and women in politics whom were pro but often had “male stereotypes”. United Nations Security Council (UNSC)—strongly supported by women’s organisations and other NGOs— adopted a resolution on women, peace and security (UNSCR 1325).
Chapter 3:
Chapter 3 of the dissertation will analyse the various policies relating to Security. It will look at the UNSC in more depth and in particular the UNSCR 1325. An assessment of the involvement of political actors in the decision making of treaties and by looking at attendees of conferences and the ratios of man to women. This will help in assessing representation within the decision making but also give an insight into whether Females are more inclined to vote on Nuclear Disarmament based on either a social constructivist argument or biology.
Nuclear Weapon Policies
– Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons
– Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty
–
Chapter 4: The role of Male leaders in the politics of Nuclear Weapons.
The Final chapter of the dissertation will look at the role of Male Leaders in the politics of Nuclear Weapons. Based on speeches and social media, this section will analyse languages used by male leaders when on the topic of Mass destruction. The idea of hyper masculinity and the case of a power trip can help in explaining why Men go to war and initiate global acts of violence. In particular current events with Donald J Trump and Kim Jung Un and the case of “twitter wars”, “Nuclear Button and “Rocket Man” . In this section I will look at the social constructivist argument but also analyse a biological perspective and whether testosterones triggers hormones into initiative talks and actions of Violence. Referring back to feminist theories as well as analysing speeches from world leaders.
Conclusion
Weapons of Mass Destruction have created huge social, economic and political implications. The decision making processes and rational choices are important within the political spectrum when seeking to acquire nuclear weapons and material. The theory of Gender plays a huge role in explaining behaviours and the dissertation will emphasise the importance in looking at the role of Gender in the politics of Nuclear Weapons. The schools of thought mentioned throughout the dissertation will give an insight analysis through the gendered lens into understand the role it plays and will continually refer back to thinkers to support each chapter. The examples covered in this dissertation will lead us to understand the various roles and give a greater understanding to gender stereotypes and the application to the political spectrum. An assessment of social constructivist argument versus a biological perspective applying it to behaviours of political actors will also give an assessment on the roles.
Bibliography
Cohn, C., Hill, F. and Ruddick, S. (2005). The relevance of gender for eliminating weapons of mass destruction. Stockholm, Sweden: Weapons of Mass Destruction Commission.
Duncanson, C. and Eschle, C. (2008). Gender and the Nuclear Weapons State: A Feminist Critique of the UK Government’s White Paper on Trident. New Political Science.
Jensen, M. (1987). Gender, sex roles, and attitudes toward war and nuclear weapons.
Hughes, C. and Lai, Y. (2014). Security Studies. Hoboken: Taylor and Francis.
Cohn, C. (2013). Women and Wars. Oxford: Wiley.
Jarvis, C. (2004). The male body at war. DeKalb, IL: Northern Illinois University Press
Hughes, C. and Lai, Y. (2014). Security Studies. Hoboken: Taylor and Francis.
Shepherd, L. (2015). Gender matters in global politics. New York: Routledge.
Shepherd., L. (2013). Critical Approaches to security.
Gender and Disarmament