Kroc Institute represented at international conference at Uppsala University
With the theme, Reinvigorating Nuclear Disarmament, the third annual Alva Myrdal Centre for Nuclear Disarmament (AMC) Conference took place at Sweden’s Uppsala University June 18-19. It continued to attract a large international audience, including several participants from the Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies, part of the Keough School of Global Affairs at the University of Notre Dame.
Peter Wallensteen, the Richard G. Starmann Sr. research professor emeritus of peace studies at the Kroc Institute and a member of the Kroc Institute advisory board, as well as professor emeritus at Uppsala, was a primary organizer of the conference as was Erik Melander, a former Kroc Institute visiting fellow and the current Director of AMC. Also participating were the Kroc Institute’s George Lopez, the Rev. Theodore M. Hesburgh, C.S.C. professor emeritus of peace studies and Gerard Powers, director of Catholic Peacebuilding Studies and coordinator of the Catholic Peacebuilding Network.
The focus of this year’s gathering was the increasingly urgent developments surrounding nuclear weapons that warrant a critical assessment of the context, challenges, and outlook for nuclear disarmament. The need to reinvigorate efforts stems from the continued lack of attention and development in this area; the conference offered both a platform and forum to move the conversation forward.
“The increased urgency of nuclear tensions requires a closer look at what can be done”, said Wallensteen, who considered this more closely in his conference paper, “Sanctions and Non-Proliferation: Where We Are and Where We Should Go”. “This conference enables us to move beyond simply identifying problems to develop constructive solutions that can be implemented in strategic peacebuilding initiatives. The practical nature of the proposals we hear in the various sessions is critical to shaping future research and practice in this critical area of peace studies”.
The conference introduced the Alva Myrdal Centre Data Project and took up issues surrounding decolonization; diversity and gender; climate, food and health systems as they relate to nuclear studies and disarmament, and considered international case studies from Asia, the Nordic states, and Ukraine, among others. The sanctions working group of AMC also announced the September publication by Routledge Press of Sanctions for Nuclear Disarmament and Non-Proliferation: Moving Forward, Peter Wallensteen and Armend Bekaj, eds.
“What was especially notable was the number of countries represented at this conference,” said Powers, who presented the paper, “Putin vs the Pope: An Ethic of Use or an Ethic of Disarmament?” on the second day. “Also impressive was the wide variety of specialists in attendance and topics addressed – from senior government leaders to disarmament activists tackling topics ranging from AI to nuclear norms.”
Lopez chaired a session on the first day of the conference, assessing the effectiveness of sanctions and taboos for non-proliferation and non-use. Later that day, he joined Wallensteen in a session on sanctions for nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation, and presented the paper, “Sanctions as Tools to Achieve Nuclear Reduction Policy: Is there a Better Way Forward?”
“Not only is the conference distinguished by its international reach, but by the interdisciplinary breadth it encourages and facilitates,” said Lopez. “I had the good fortune of in-depth interactions with other specialists working on sanctions for nuclear non-proliferation. I also attended sessions about research and policy work of physicists, nuclear engineers, and AI specialists - all working on ways to monitor and constrain nuclear developments. This type of interdisciplinarity at a conference is rare.”
The next AMC Annual Conference will be held in June 2025, with a call for proposals open October - November 2024. To learn more, visit https://www.uu.se/en/centre/alva-myrdal/annual-conference.
Originally published by kroc.nd.edu on July 09, 2024.
atLatest Research
- Notre Dame marks another year of unprecedented research successDuring the 2024 fiscal year, researchers at the University of Notre Dame submitted 1,310 proposals for external research funding for a total amount of $1.016 billion — the first time the University has surpassed the billion-dollar mark for proposals. In addition, the University received 829 separate awards — the largest number on record. With $223 million in total funding, these awards propelled the University past the $200 million mark for the fourth straight year.
- Chile provides fruitful opportunities for collaboration and researchAll over the world, Notre Dame faculty are carrying out research and making exciting discoveries. For most, their work would not be possible if not for partnerships with global universities, programs, and individuals. One such example is the research produced by Yamil J. Colón-Rodríguez, Ph.D., assistant…
- Notre Dame startups Grannus Therapeutics and TayCo Brace gain recognition and opportunities at Rally pitch competitionElevate Ventures' second annual Rally IN-Prize pitch contest, held on August 27 and 28 in Indianapolis, is touted as one of the world’s largest startup investment pitch competitions, offering up to $1 million in investment financing…
- Research Project Outcomes: Driving inclusive urban growth through community-centric AI auditsSingapore has established itself as a global leader in smart city development, known for its innovative use of advanced technology and dedication to forward-thinking practices. As a "Smart City Index champion," the city-state consistently ranks at the top of the IMD…
- Mary McAleese: Politics of the Sacred and the Necessity for Respectful DiscourseMary McAleese served as the eighth president of Ireland from 1997 to 2011 and serves as the current President of the Advisory Board for the Ansari Institute for Global Engagement with Religion. …
- Notre Dame partners to grow Indiana’s mental health workforceThe University of Notre Dame is part of a statewide effort to address the mental health workforce shortage. In partnership with WISE Indiana, the University is contracted to help enhance the recruitment, retention and quality of Indiana’s behavioral health workforce.