Alva Myrdal: A Pioneer in Nuclear Disarmament

Description

This book is about the importance of nuclear disarmament and the work pursued by Alva Myrdal, a pioneering social activist, diplomat, cabinet minister, and disarmament negotiator. She was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1982 together with Alfonso García Robles "for their work for disarmament and nuclear and weapon-free zones". Prominent academics, politicians and practitioners have contributed reflections on Myrdal’s achievements and their impact on the world today. Furthermore, a sample of Myrdal’s own writings on nuclear disarmament are included, as well as significant speeches and a bibliography of her publications on nuclear matters. Alva Myrdal was born in Uppsala, Sweden, in 1902, graduated from college in Stockholm in 1924, and continued higher education at Uppsala University in the 1930s. She was a prolific author and reformer, specializing in social affairs, women’s roles and nuclear disarmament. She was Sweden’s Ambassador to India in the 1950s, for Nuclear Disarmament in the 1960s and 1970s, and a member of the Cabinet 1967-1973. Her most well-known works are "The Game of Disarmament" (1976), "Nation and Family" (1941), and "Women's Two Roles" (1956, with Viola Klein). Her book "The Game of Disarmament" (1976) is a key work in disarmament. The Alva Myrdal Centre for Nuclear Disarmament was set up at Uppsala University in 2021 to contribute new ideas and concrete measures towards the elimination of nuclear weapons. Both editors are associated with the Centre, Professor Peter Wallensteen as a member of the board and leader of one of its working groups, and Dr. Armend Bekaj as a researcher. - This book is relevant for students of international relations and policy-makers on issues of peace and conflict. - It provides background documentation on the difficulties in achieving disarmament. - It illustrates the significant role women can play to infuse new ideas into a men’s world. - It displays the importance of persistence, rationality, ingenuity and knowledge in furthering nuclear disarmament. - It shows that Alva Myrdal’s efforts can be an inspiration for new generations. Foreword by Margot Wallström Foreword by Izumi Nakamitsu Preface by Thomas Graham Jr. Preface by Rolf Ekéus Contents Abbreviations Part I About Alva Myrdal and Disarmament 1 Alva Myrdal and Her Role for Disarmament 1.1 Alva Myrdal in Swedish Public Life 1.2 Dealing with Disarmament 1.3 Promoter of Peace Research 1.4 Outlining the Book References 2 In the Game of Disarmament 2.1 The Road to Signing the Test-Ban Treaty, 1958–1963 2.2 The Cuban Missiles Crisis 2.3 The Road to the Signing and Ratification of the NPT (1964–1968) 3 Alva Myrdal and Disarmament in a Man’s World 3.1 Feminist Curiosity 3.2 Gendering Disarmament 3.3 Disarmament Priorities 3.4 Disarmament and Masculinity 4 Economy, Security and the Public: Alva Myrdal’s Triangular Condition for International Disarmament 4.1 Strand I: Appeal to Economic Reason! 4.2 Strand II: There Must Be Alternative Ways of Promoting Security! 4.3 Strand III: Somebody Has to Listen, Find That Audience! 5 The Disarmament Story: On Alva Myrdal’s Study The Game of Disarmament (1976) 5.1 Introduction 5.2 Europe as a Battlefield and Treaties to Ban Nuclear Weapons 5.3 Mechanisms in the Armament Processes 5.4 On Morale 5.5 The Irrational Armament 5.6 Conventional Weapons, Cruel Weapons, and CB-Weapons 5.7 Nonproliferation, Test Ban and Verification 5.8 Conclusion 6 From Nuclear Option to Non-nuclear Promotion: The Sweden Case 6.1 New Career 6.2 The Original Setting 6.3 The Agenda 6.4 The Group of Non-aligned 6.5 World Politics 6.6 Domestic Politics 6.7 Final Comment Appendix The Active NPT Support Nuclear Disarmament Promotion Activities The ‘Mini-Nuke’ Challenge 7 Solidarity Abroad: Alva Myrdal’s Campaign for the Developing Nations 7.1 At the United Nations 7.2 Representing Sweden in South Asia 7.3 Development Aid Part II Texts by Alva Myrdal on Disarmament 8 Stemming the Conventional Arms Race 8.1 Conventional Armaments in the Nuclear Age 8.2 Production of and Trade in Conventional Arms 8.3 Reversing the Conventional Arms Race 8.3.1 Disclosure of Military Expenditures 8.3.2 Disclosure of Production and Trade in Arms 8.3.3 Restraining Production and Trade in Arms 8.4 The Need for Conversion Plans 8.5 The Military Brain Drain 8.6 A World Folly 9 Barring the Spread of Nuclear Weapons 9.1 The Genie Came Out 9.2 The Lesser Nuclear-Weapons Powers 9.3 Futile Attempts to Ban Proliferation 9.4 A Grossly Discriminatory Treaty 9.5 How It Went Wrong 9.6 Any Limit to Proliferation? 9.7 The Prices to Pay 9.8 Make IAEA Safeguards Meaningful 9.8.1 Safeguards on All Transfers 9.8.2 Safeguards on All Nuclear Facilities in All Countries 9.8.3 Internationalization of Processing Plants 9.8.4 No Exceptions from Control on Political Grounds 9.8.5 A Future of Nuclear Cooperation 9.9 Nuclear-Weapons-Free Zones – Voluntary, Not Imposed 9.10 In the Several Regions 9.10.1 No Bright Prospect for Europe 9.10.2 Some Progress with Latin America 9.10.3 An Agenda for Africa 9.10.4 Other Regions 10 Eliminating Biological and Chemical Means of Warfare 10.1 No Possession of Weapons When Use Is Outlawed 10.2 The Meandering Course of Negotiations 10.3 The Inglorious Fate of the B-Weapons Convention 10.4 Renouncing CB-Weapons—Treaty or No Treaty 10.5 Any Hope to Eliminate C-Weapons? 10.6 A New Shock—Binary Weapons 10.7 A Stepladder Approach to Prompt Action 11 Verifying Disarmament and Internationalizing Knowledge 11.1 The Obnoxious Role of the Control Issue 11.2 The Need for Controls 11.3 Control Requirements According to Scope and Character of Agreements 11.4 Ex Post and Ex Ante 11.5 Dismantling Secrecy 11.6 International Verification of Disarmament 11.7 Internationalization of Knowledge 12 The Need for a Pledge of Nuclear Security 12.1 The Origins of Proliferation 12.2 Five Nuclear Weapon Powers 12.3 The Need for a Pledge of Nuclear Security 12.4 A Special Case for Peaceful Nuclear Explosives? 12.5 Tenuous Link Between the Treaties Banning Proliferation and Testing 12.6 A Long-Term Solution 13 The International Control of Disarmament 14 Alva Myrdal’s Final Statement and Farewell Speech at the United Nations General Assembly 15 Alva Myrdal’s Nobel Speech and Lecture 15.1 Announcement of the Nobel Peace Prize 1982 15.2 Acceptance Speech, on the Occasion of the Award of the Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo, December 10, 1982 15.3 Nobel Lecture: Disarmament, Technology and the Growth in Violence, December 11, 1982 16 Comprehensive Bibliography of Alva Myrdal’s Writings on Disarmament and Related Issues 16.1 Writings on Alva Myrdal 16.2 Works by Alva Myrdal Uppsala University The Department of Peace and Conflict Research Alva Myrdal Centre for Nuclear Disarmament On the Author Alva Myrdal On the Co-editors Index