Achieving The Goal of Nuclear Disarmament: Limitations of Structural Realism and Contributions of Social Constructivism

Abstract

The pursuit of nuclear disarmament has been a complex and contentious issue in international relations, shaped by competing strategies. This thesis examines how normative shifts influenced by constructivist ideas have played a crucial role in accelerating nuclear disarmament progress. By focusing on the emergence of the new humanitarian approach and the entry into force of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW), this study demonstrates how the application of constructivism has challenged and transformed the structural realist paradigm that underpinned the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). It posits that the slow pace of nuclear disarmament under the structural realist paradigm was attributed to its inadequacy in explaining change and setting up the groundwork for a safer world, while constructivism has appeared as a more effective framework to address these shortcomings. By explicitly stigmatizing nuclear weapons and delegitimizing their possession, the TPNW has supplied a transformative framework that empowers non-nuclear-armed states and civil society actors to actively promote disarmament, independently of the nuclear-armed states' positions. This thesis concludes that the incorporation of constructivist ideas, through the new humanitarian approach and the TPNW, has accelerated nuclear disarmament progress and opened new pathways. By fostering normative shifts that prioritize humanitarian concerns and collective identities, constructivism has revitalized the nuclear disarmament discourse and enabled possibilities beyond the constraints of structural realism. The findings shed light on the dynamic interplay of interests in shaping global nuclear disarmament efforts, supply insights into the potential for further advancements in disarmament diplomacy, and underscores the critical role of constructivism in setting the groundwork for a more secure and peaceful world, overcoming the limitations of structural realism and paving the way for a transformative nuclear disarmament process.