WMD Disarmament & Security & Technology Nexus
17 September—17 October 2024 | Tuesdays & Thursdays | 16:00—17:30 [UK]
Registration for METO’s course is now open. Please use the form below to register your interest.
Our course of 10-sessions will provide students with a thorough understanding of weapons of mass destruction proliferation through a regional and global scope and efforts to strengthen international non-proliferation regimes. The course will also examine regional security issues and the implications of emerging technologies such as autonomous weapons and artificial intelligence on nuclear and other WMD risks. The course will be taught with perspectives from the Middle East and beyond.
Banning nuclear weapons in the Middle East has been linked to broader regional security issues and the eventual banning of all weapons of mass destruction. A Weapons of Mass Destruction Free Zone (WMDFZ) was first proposed by Egypt in 1990 with backing from Iran. The proposal for a WMD-free zone in the Middle East, however, faces daunting challenges in the most troubled region of the world.
Through class discussion and guest speakers from academia and practitioners in WMD non-proliferation, this course will provide students with the ability to analyse these challenges, revisit past efforts to achieve the zone and identify future scenarios to rid the region of all WMDs.
Through 10 sessions, students will delve into various aspects related to the subject, engage with guest expert lecturers, participate in discussions, collaborate with fellow students in a group project and explore recommended reading materials to deepen their understanding.
Objectives
- Gain understanding about WMD non-proliferation globally and in the region.
- Examine the security and disarmament sector through a gender lens and the importance of diverse voices to actively engage and shape this discourse.
- Observe the history of WMD proliferation across the region.
- Explore the role foreign states play in the development of WMD programs in the region.
- Learn about the link and impact of nuclear war on the environment.
- Examine the risk of WMD acquisition and possible use in the future.
- Delve into AI’s implications and convergence with nuclear, biological and autonomous weapons.
- Learn advocacy, activism and the role of civil society in WMD non-proliferation in the Middle East.
Lecture topics
1: Course introduction & background on the WMD Free Zone in the Middle East
2: Environmental and Humanitarian Cost of Nuclear War
3: Nuclear Weapons Free Zones and global non-proliferation conventions
4: History of regional WMD proliferation & future risks
5: World power WMDs and efforts towards disarmament
6: Gender in Disarmament and Security Sector
7: Emerging technology and AI in weapons systems
8: Multiple avenues to advance peace, security and disarmament in Middle East
9: Advocacy, activism and role of civil society in WMD non-proliferation
10: Final Class & and Course Recap
Dates & Times
The METO Course on WMD Disarmament, Security & Technology Nexus of 10-sessions will run from 17 September to 17 October 2024.*
Sessions will be conducted twice a week, each lasting 90-minutes and led by a leading expert(s) in the respective topic. All sessions will start at 16:00 UK time, 11:00 New York time.
Dedicated office hours and student online-meetings are also provided for further discussion and collaboration amongst students.
All sessions will be recorded so that students in time zones that make participation complicated will be able to take part.
*Please note that these dates and times are subject to change.
Requirements
Your final grade will be based largely (80%) on a writing assignment and group presentation. The requirements for this course include a one-page policy brief, a group assignment and a presentation.
Final grades will be assigned based on your performance in the following areas: Participation 20%, Policy Brief 35%, Group Assignment & Presentation 45%.
The course is based on a pass or fail grading system, with successful students receiving a certificate from METO.
Fee Structure
| Category | Fee |
| Government officials and diplomats | €700 |
| Academics & researchers | €450 |
| Students from outside the Middle East and North Africa** | €250 |
| Students from the Middle East and North Africa* | €150 |
| Members of the Young METO network | Fee waived |
*Scholarships are available for students from the Middle East and North Africa.
**Scholarships are available for students with limited financial means.
Course enquiries
Please fill out the form below to register your interest in our education course. Leave us your name, e-mail address and institution and we’ll get back to you. Thank you.