Following the success of the first PhD and postdoctoral research seminar where the focus was on conventional arms control, Asser Institute now invites researchers to join them in person at the Asser Institute in The Hague for the second 2022 arms control seminar now focused on the topic of nuclear weapons.

Background
The Asser Institute Doctoral Seminar Series on International Arms Control Law will provide a select number of doctoral and postdoctoral researchers with insights into the current and future issues raised by International Arms Control Law with perspectives from international law and related disciplines. At each seminar, academics and practitioners will deliver four expert lectures on the international legal framework of arms control, geo-political perspectives on arms control, institutional and procedural frameworks for control and disarmament, as well as emerging issues and trends. Additionally, the seminar provides an opportunity for doctoral and postdoctoral researchers to present an aspect of their research as a springboard for discussions on the topic of International Arms Control, seeking to foster interdisciplinary exchange among peers in a low-stakes environment.

Nuclear Weapons: Challenges and Opportunities
The Tenth Review Conference of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) is due to be held in August this year. Since the delegates last met, numerous controversial developments have taken place in the field. Strategic instability is increasing among nuclear weapon states, with several nuclear and conventional weapons agreements and practices discarded since the last review conference and nuclear weapon states reviving their reliance on nuclear weapons. Frustrated with the slow process of disarmament, non-nuclear weapon states acted to elaborate a new treaty prohibiting nuclear weapons for all states on the basis of international humanitarian law. The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, which has 86 signatories, entered into force on 22 January 2021. The treaty has split states into two camps, those favouring the NPT deterrence model and those favouring global disarmament. Given these factors, the Tenth NPT Review Conference will provide a crucial moment to build new consensus on arms control processes for the future.

The seminar will be structured around three lectures spread over two days on the topics of:

• the normative shift in nuclear arms control
• negotiating arms control treaties
• the Tenth NPT Review Conference

You will also participate in a roundtable discussion on your research topic, guided by Asser Institute researchers. Additionally, the participating doctoral candidates and postdoctoral researchers have the option to give an individual 15 to 20 minute presentation on their research.

The seminar also concludes with an expert panel discussion reflecting on the Tenth NPT Review Conference followed by a reception.

Click here to download the latest version of the detailed programme of the seminar.

Participation
Participants may be undertaking doctoral/postdoctoral research in legal, historical, political or theoretical fields related to international arms control. Participants are asked to present an abstract summarizing an aspect of their doctoral research related to the Arms Trade and/or nuclear weapons.

Doctoral students that are interested in participating in the workshop should register their interest with Thea Coventry by 12 September. Participants wishing to present their research should submit a short abstract on their presentation topic by email to Thea by Monday 19 September.

Further info are available on the dedicated webpage here.

*This announcement is from T.M.C. Asser Instituut, an ESIL Institutional Member*