Course Name: Nuclear Politics and Policy
Course No. PS 471
Course Description
The exploitation of nuclear fission has had a dramatic effect on human society.
Nuclear technology has changed medicine, energy generation and has helped to
make generalized warfare between advanced industrial states almost unthinkable.
However, these advances have come at a dramatic financial and environmental cost.
The technical social and political dimensions of nuclear technology are complex and
interconnected. This course provides an overview of these debates. Over the course
of 10 weeks, the development and future prospects of both civil and military nuclear
technology will be explored. The course will help add to understanding of one of the
most important technologies of the 20th century.
Course Credits
This course involves 40 hours of classroom based learning for 4 credits.
The course is taught twice weekly and each learning session is 2 hours in length.
Prerequisites, Co-requisites and Enforced Prerequisites,
None.
Expectations regarding student conduct
Please see and read the list of rules and regulations at:
http://studentlife.oregonstate.edu/studentconduct/offenses-0
I will ask you to confirm that you have read and understood the rules and
regulations regarding student conduct at the beginning of the course.
Course specific measurable student learning outcomes
By the end of the course you will be able to:

Explain the fundamental characteristics of different nuclear technologies.



Demonstrate an ability to explain how governance regimes and/ or institutional
structures in various countries have shaped the development and deployment of
nuclear technologies.
Demonstrate a critical understanding of the political and social impacts of nuclear
technology.
Complete all the required assessments to an appropriate standard in terms of
writing mechanics and quality and support of argument.
Evaluation of Student Performance
For each student:
One 1500 word mid term paper (completed at the end of the 5th week).
One 2500 word final paper (completed at the end of the 10th week).
The 1500 word paper is worth 40% of the final grade.
The 2500 word paper is worth 60% of the final grade.
This ensures that the final summative assessment is weighted to reflect the
increasing body of knowledge possessed by students. Students will receive
formative feedback throughout learning sessions based on their classroom
contributions. The feedback received on the first 1500 word paper also plays a
formative role.
Each assignment is graded on a percentage basis
The grade you will be awarded based on the percentage you have score is below:
Percentage
96>
92 - 95
88 - 91
84 - 87
80 - 83
77 - 79
73 - 76
Letter Grade
A
AB+
B
BC+
C
Percentage
69 - 72
66 - 68
61- 65
56- 60
<55
Incomplete
Letter Grade
CD+
D
DF
I
Extension policy
Extensions must be agreed in advance but as a general rule extensions will not be
granted unless a compelling reason is provided.
For example, bereavement is a compelling reason but an inability to meet education
requirements due to employment commitments is not a compelling reason.
However, an exception will be made for first responders, homeland security, law
enforcement, military, or National Guard personnel who have received orders for
deployment or activation.
Jury service is also a compelling reason.
Extensions will not be awarded after the fact unless there is evidence of
extraordinary extenuating or mitigating circumstances (see exceptions above).
Statement of expectations for student conduct
Please see and read the list of rules and regulations at:
http://studentlife.oregonstate.edu/studentconduct/offenses-0
I will ask you to confirm that you have read and understood the rules and
regulations regarding student conduct at the beginning of the course.
Referencing
All papers must include citations and references. References do not count towards
the word count.
You may use any recognized referencing style that falls under generic category of
Harvard style references (e.g. American Psychological Association, Chicago Style,
Modern Languages Association or MLA etc.)
I will ask you to resubmit papers that are not referenced correctly within 24 hrs. But
you will receive a deduction equal to 20% of the maximum possible grade for the
assignment (10% for lateness and 10% for failure to reference). If the paper is not
referenced properly upon the resubmission – it will receive a mark of zero.
Statement regarding students with disabilities
Accommodations are collaborative efforts between students, faculty and Disability
Access Services (DAS). Students with accommodations approved through DAS are
responsible for contacting the faculty member in charge of the course prior to or
during the first week of the term to discuss accommodations. Students who believe
they are eligible for accommodations but who have not yet obtained approval
through DAS should contact DAS immediately at 541-737-4098
Learning Resources
D. Elliot (2010) (ed.) Nuclear or Not?. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan (Essential)
Ferguson, Charles D. (2011). Nuclear Energy: What Everyone Needs to Know. Oxford:
Oxford University Press (Essential).
Jackson, Ian. (2008). Nukenomics. Maidenhead (UK): Nuclear Engineering
International Publications.
Jasper, James (2014). Nuclear Politics: Energy and the State in the United States,
Sweden, and France. Princeton (NJ): Princeton University Press (ebook).
Woods, Janet (2007). Nuclear Power. London: The Institution of Engineering and
Technology (Recommended).
The reading for each week involves about 80 pages with some exceptions if
essential to allow for a full understanding of the topic.
Course Content
Session
Topic
Assigned Reading
1a
Introduction
Introductory session.
1b
Nuclear
Technologies: why
it matters
Scurlock, Jonathan (2010) ‘A concise history of the
nuclear industry worldwide’ in D. Elliot (ed.) Nuclear or
Not? (pp. 24 - 33) Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan
2a & b
Understanding the
technology
Woods, Janet (2007). Nuclear Power. London: The
Institution of Engineering and Technology. Chapters 1
and 2
Ferguson, Charles (2011). Nuclear Energy. Chapter 1.
3a & 3b
The Origins of
Nuclear
Technology: The
Weapons
Programmes
Arnold, Lorna (2001). Britain and The H-Bomb.
Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan/ London: Ministry of
Defence (chapters 1-3).
Siracusa, Joseph M. (2008). Nuclear Weapons: A Very
Short Introduction. Oxford: Oxford University Press
Chapters 1 and 2).
Wolff, Amy. F. (2012). Non-Strategic Nuclear Weapons.
Congressional Research Service. RL32572.
4a
4b
The Origins of
Nuclear
Technology: The
Power
Programmes
Bupp, Irwin and Derian, Jean-Claude (1978). Light Water:
How the Nuclear Dream Dissolved New York: Basic
Books (Chapter 1).
Gowing, Margret (1964). Britain and Atomic Energy.
Oxford: UKAEA (Chapters 1 – 2).
Williams, R. (1980). The Nuclear Power Decisions.
London: Croon Helm (Chapter 2).
5a
Policy Styles
Jasper, James (2014). Nuclear Politics: Energy and the
State in the United States, Sweden, and France. Princeton
(NJ): Princeton University Press (Chapter 1)
Rüdig, Wolfgang. (1987). ‘Outcomes of nuclear
technology policy: do varying political styles make a
difference?’ Journal of public policy, 7(04), 389-430.
5b
Policy Networks
Rhodes, R.A.W. (1990). ‘Policy Networks: A British
Perspective’ Journal of Theoretical Politics, 2(3): 293 317
Saward, Mike (1992). ‘The Civil Nuclear Network in
Britain’ in D. Marsh and R.A.W Rhodes (eds). Policy
Networks in British Government. Oxford: Claredon Press
6a
6b
Institutionalism
and Path
Dependency
Techno-Politics
Mahoney, James and Rueschemeyer, Dieter (2003).
‘Comparative Historical Analysis in the Social Sciences’,
in J. Mahoney and D. Rueschemeyer, (eds.), Comparative
Historical Analysis in the Social Sciences (pp. 3 – 38).
Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
Cowan, Robin (1990). ‘Nuclear Power Reactors: A Study
in Technological Lock-in’, Journal of Economic History,
50(3): 541 – 567.
Hecht, Gabrielle. (1998). The Radiance of France.
Cambridge (MA): MIT Press. (Chapters 2 and 3).
Mitchell, Tim (2002). Rule of Experts Egypt, TechnoPolitics, Modernity. Berkley: University of California
Press (Chapter 1)
7a
Economic analysis
Grubler, Arnulf (2010). ‘The costs of the French nuclear
scale-up: A case of negative learning by doing’, Energy
Policy, 38(9), 5174–5188
Baker, Keith and Stoker, Gerry (2015). Nuclear Power and
Energy Policy. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan (Chapter
2).
7b
Understanding
Risk
Aven, Terje and Ortwin Renn (2010). Risk Management
and Governance. New York: Springer (Chapter 1)
Adams, John (1995). Risk. London: UCL Press (Chapters 1
and 2).
Galesic, M. and Garica-Retamero, Rocio (2012). The Risks
We Dread: A Social Circle Account, PLOS One, DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0032837
8a
Radioactive waste
and externalities
Greenberg, Michael (2012). Nuclear Waste Management.
New York: Dordretcht (Chapter 1).
Farlie, Ian (2010). ‘New Information on Radiation Health
Hazards’ in D. Elliot (ed.) Nuclear or Not? (pp. 101 - 114)
Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan
Lowry, David (2010). ‘Nuclear Waste: The Protracted
Debate in the UK’, in D. Elliot (ed.) Nuclear or Not? (pp.
115 – 131) Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan
8b
The Accidents
Arnold, L. (1992). Windscale 1957. Basingstoke: Palgrave
Macmillan (chapters 1, 4 and 8)
Medvedev, Zhores (1990). The Legacy of Chernobyl.
Oxford: Blackwell. (Chapters 1 and 2).
Walker, Samuel L (2004). Three Mile Island: Nuclear Crisis
in Historical Perspective. Berkeley: University of
California Press (Chapter 4).
9a and 9b
Governance and
Regulation of the
Atom
Eckstein, R. (1997). Nuclear Power and Social Power.
Philadelphia: Temple University Press (Chapter 3).
Fischer, D. (1997). History of the International Atomic
Agency: The First Forty Years. http://wwwpub.iaea.org/MTCD/publications/PDF/Pub1032_web.pdf
Pedraz, Jorge Moreles (2016). ‘How Nuclear-Weapon
States Parties to the Non-proliferation Treaty Understand
Nuclear Disarmament’, Public Organizational Review,
Online first, Jan 2016.
Tzeng, Peter (2015). ‘Nuclear Arbitration: Interpreting
Non-proliferation Agreements’, Nuclear Law Bulletin,
2015/1 (95): 41-64
10a
The Future
Kidd, Stephen (2010). ‘Nuclear Power around the world’
D. Elliot (ed.) Nuclear or Not? (pp. 197 - 205)
Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan
Scurlock, Jonathan (2010). ‘Can nuclear power ever be
Green’, in D. Elliot (ed.) Nuclear or Not? (pp. 209 - 220)
Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
Nuttall, William, J. (2010). ‘Nuclear renaissance requires
nuclear enlightenment’ in D. Elliot (ed.) Nuclear or Not?
(pp. 221 - 238) Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
10b
Concluding Session
No assigned reading.
Focuses on a wider review of the policy issues in nuclear
technology.