Nuclear War in the Rivalry Phase of the Modern World-System

Authors

  • Robert A. Denemark Department of Political Science and International Relations, University of Delaware, Newark DE 19716

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5195/jwsr.2018.749

Keywords:

Hegemony/Rivalry, Nuclear Weapons

Abstract

Large-scale war is a world-system phenomenon of the rivalry phase. Such conflicts have once again become a concern, and nuclear weapons make these prospects especially dangerous. This is particularly problematic since several world-systems perspectives suggest the chances for war will be greatest in the period from 2030 to 2050. I review the logic of rivalry, the reasons for the endurance of nuclear weapons, old and new nuclear strategies, and the processes that may pose the greatest existential dangers. Chase-Dunn and Podobnik (1995) identified processes that militate both in favor of and in opposition to nuclear war, and I pay particular attention to the way in which world-systems developments that increase the likelihood of major war have persisted, while those that retard the chances for major war have diminished. These dangers suggest that it may be time to turn some of our attention to the dynamics of systemic war and nuclear weapons.

Author Biography

Robert A. Denemark, Department of Political Science and International Relations, University of Delaware, Newark DE 19716

Robert A. Denemark is professor of political science and international relations at the University of Delaware.  His work concerns long-term global processes.

References

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Published

2018-08-14

How to Cite

Denemark, R. A. (2018). Nuclear War in the Rivalry Phase of the Modern World-System. Journal of World-Systems Research, 24(2), 348–371. https://doi.org/10.5195/jwsr.2018.749

Issue

Vol. 24 No. 2 (2018): Volume 24, Issue 2: Summer/Fall 2018

Section

Research Articles

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