Topics In Anthropology (390-0-1)
Topic
Cities and Nuclear Weapons
Instructors
Hirokazu Miyazaki
847 4675540
1819 Hinman Ave. #110
Hirokazu Miyazaki is the Kay Davis Professor and a professor of anthropology. He is a specialist on theories of exchange, futurity, and hope. He has studied indigenous land claims in Fiji, financial trading in Japan, and peace activism in Japan and the U.S. He is the author of The Method of Hope: Anthropology, Philosophy, and Fijian Knowledge and Arbitraging Japan: Dreams of Capitalism at the End of Finance, and a co-editor of The Economy of Hope (with Richard Swedberg).
Meeting Info
Harris Hall L06: Mon, Wed 5:00PM - 6:20PM
Overview of class
The risk of nuclear war is increasing, from North Korea's nuclear program to Russia's threat to use tactical nuclear weapons in its war with Ukraine. The nuclear arms race is also gaining momentum, as evidenced by China's growing nuclear arsenal and the U.S. "nuclear modernization" program. Cities have always been considered targets for nuclear attack. This advanced course in the anthropology of peace examines the role of cities—city leaders and city residents—in the politics of nuclear weapons through the lens of a broader vision of security in which global nuclear security is inextricably linked to local, national, and regional concerns such as racism, gender inequality, economic inequality, environmental crisis, and memories of past violence. The course introduces students to the history of the development of nuclear weapons, the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, various bilateral and multilateral frameworks for nuclear nonproliferation and disarmament, key concepts, theories, and policy tools related to nuclear security, and the evolution of anti-nuclear activism, particularly from the "nuclear freeze" movement of the 1980s to the current global campaign to abolish nuclear weapons. The course will also offer opportunities to hear from a wide range of guest speakers, including defense and security experts, atomic bomb survivors, peace activists, and local government officials. There are no prerequisites for the course, and no prior knowledge of anthropology or security studies is required. Students from all majors and schools are welcome.
Learning Objectives
Demonstrate how different social, cultural, and historical factors intersect; use qualitative research methods and data to observe the relationship between local and global forces; critique concepts, theories, and policies by examining supporting evidence and unexamined underlying assumptions; reflect on the relationship between local and global problems and explore the role of local action in addressing global challenges.
Evaluation Method
Class participation; two short essays; a final research project
Class Materials (Required)
Available Online