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Very excited to announce that I've been published in @RUSI_org + @UKPONI's 2020 PONI Papers 
In my piece, I bring a class analysis to nuclear weapons policy & explore whether socioeconomic status affects young people's views on nukes (spoiler: it does).
https://rusi.org/sites/default/files/202011_poni_papers_2020_web.pdf
In my piece, I bring a class analysis to nuclear weapons policy & explore whether socioeconomic status affects young people's views on nukes (spoiler: it does).
https://rusi.org/sites/default/files/202011_poni_papers_2020_web.pdf
Nuclear war is often falsely framed as "a great equalizer."
Societal crises exacerbate existing inequalities, meaning that ppl of lower socioeconomic status are disproportionately harmed.
So––like climate change & pandemic––we would not all experience nuclear war the same way.
Societal crises exacerbate existing inequalities, meaning that ppl of lower socioeconomic status are disproportionately harmed.
So––like climate change & pandemic––we would not all experience nuclear war the same way.
Given this fact, does it follow that folks from different socioeconomic statuses would have different assessments or policy prescriptions about the nuclear threat? 
I used income + education data from a new @ICRC survey to find out! https://www.icrc.org/en/millennials-on-war
I used income + education data from a new @ICRC survey to find out! https://www.icrc.org/en/millennials-on-war
Major conclusions:
1) Wealthier & more educated respondents were more optimistic that nuclear war *wouldn't* take place in 10 years.
2) Wealthier respondents had more positive views of non-proliferation and deterrence, & had more support for keeping their countries' nukes.
1) Wealthier & more educated respondents were more optimistic that nuclear war *wouldn't* take place in 10 years.
2) Wealthier respondents had more positive views of non-proliferation and deterrence, & had more support for keeping their countries' nukes.
3) Wealthier respondents in nuclear-armed states also believed more strongly that their countries' nuclear weapons kept them safe.
^Interestingly, female-identifying respondents disagreed with this statement much more than male-identifying respondents.
^Interestingly, female-identifying respondents disagreed with this statement much more than male-identifying respondents.
Why do wealthier respondents have more positive views of deterrence & non-proliferation, and more negative views of disarmament?
Theory: ^this is de facto the status quo for all nuclear-armed states. And is there not a tendency for the powerful to reinforce the status quo?
Theory: ^this is de facto the status quo for all nuclear-armed states. And is there not a tendency for the powerful to reinforce the status quo?
One final––very important––conclusion:
For every question asked about nukes, those at lower education levels consistently answered "don't know" to a much higher degree.
As @sbidgood has written, nuke knowledge is generally limited to those at elite universities.
For every question asked about nukes, those at lower education levels consistently answered "don't know" to a much higher degree.
As @sbidgood has written, nuke knowledge is generally limited to those at elite universities.
We must consider ways to reverse this trend and make the field more accessible and equitable.
This will ensure that both knowledge about––and influence on––nuclear policy is not just limited to those in the highest income and education brackets.
This will ensure that both knowledge about––and influence on––nuclear policy is not just limited to those in the highest income and education brackets.
Thanks very much to @UKPONI, @ZatsepinaLuba, + @tjaplant for publishing me, in addition to all the other incredible pieces by @mlfavaro @emenrightau @AliceSpilman @GeoffreyChpmn @JuliaBalm @mower_lorne @ArturHonich and others!
Everyone here is definitely worth a read/follow!
Everyone here is definitely worth a read/follow!
