2020 Faculty Courses School of Environment and Society Department of Transdisciplinary Science and Engineering Graduate major in Nuclear Engineering
World Politics and Nonproliferation in the Nuclear Age
- Academic unit or major
- Graduate major in Nuclear Engineering
- Instructor(s)
- Noriyosu Hayashizaki / Masako Ikegami / Chi Young Han / Masato Hori / Nobumasa Akiyama / Masahiro Kikuchi
- Class Format
- Lecture (Zoom)
- Media-enhanced courses
- -
- Day of week/Period
(Classrooms) - 7-8 Fri (Zoom)
- Class
- -
- Course Code
- NCL.O510
- Number of credits
- 100
- Course offered
- 2020
- Offered quarter
- 3Q
- Syllabus updated
- Jul 10, 2025
- Language
- English
Syllabus
Course overview and goals
This course is designed to provide the fundamentals of nuclear non-proliferation and safeguards from a historical and political point of view. It covers the politics and challenges of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) and Japan's role and contribution to the NPT Regime. Various case studies on the international community for nuclear non-proliferation are also discussed about nuclear program and denuclearization, safeguards and verification, and verification technologies. This course aims that students learn the efforts of the international community for nuclear non-proliferation and safeguards, and understand its importance for peaceful use of nuclear energy.
Course description and aims
Students will learn 1) historical context and challenges of the NPT, 2) the mechanism of the NPT regime, 3) the past nuclear program and denuclearization, and 4) basic concepts of safeguards and verification, and then understand the importance of nuclear non-proliferation and safeguards.
Student learning outcomes
実務経験と講義内容との関連 (又は実践的教育内容)
Some instructors have a long working experience as experts in the field of nuclear disarmament, international politics, and nuclear non-proliferation and safeguards at the Department of Safeguards of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the Permanent Mission of Japan to the International Organizations in Vienna, the Nuclear Material Control Center (NMCC), and the Integrated Support Center for Nuclear Nonproliferation and Nuclear Security of the Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA).
Keywords
NPT, Nuclear Nonproliferation, Safeguards, International Community
Competencies
- Specialist skills
- Intercultural skills
- Communication skills
- Critical thinking skills
- Practical and/or problem-solving skills
Class flow
Classes will be conducted in English using English lecture materials, but if necessary, Japanese materials will be distributed separately to provide supplementary lectures in Japanese.
Course schedule/Objectives
| Course schedule | Objectives | |
|---|---|---|
| Class 1 | Introduction and Historical Context of the NPT | To understand historical background of the NPT beginning with the Manhattan Project which developed the atomic bombs |
| Class 2 | Politics and Challenges of the NPT | To understand world politics and challenges of the NPT regime through and after the Cold War |
| Class 3 | Nuclear Program and Denuclearization of South Africa, Libya, Iraq, Iran, and DPRK (1) | To gain knowledge of nuclear program and denuclearization efforts such as dismantlement and verification from the past cases |
| Class 4 | Nuclear Program and Denuclearization of South Africa, Libya, Iraq, Iran, and DPRK (2) | To gain knowledge of nuclear program and denuclearization efforts such as dismantlement and verification from the past cases |
| Class 5 | Japan's Role and Contribution to the NPT Regime | To explore the mechanism of the NPT regime and Japan’s contribution to nuclear non-proliferation in the regime |
| Class 6 | Design Concepts of Verification Regime under the NPT | To understand the design concepts of non-proliferation |
| Class 7 | Relationship between the CSA and the AP with Required Technologies | To understand the relationship between the CSA and the AP with required technologies |
Study advice (preparation and review)
To enhance effective learning, students are encouraged to spend approximately 100 minutes preparing for class and another 100 minutes reviewing class content afterwards (including assignments) for each class.
They should do so by referring to textbooks and other course material.
Textbook(s)
Not specified
Reference books, course materials, etc.
Provided on OCW-i in each class
Evaluation methods and criteria
Report in each class
Related courses
- NCL.O401 ： Nuclear Non-proliferation and Security
- NCL.O511 ： Nuclear Non-proliferation and Security Exercise
Prerequisites
None