The “great books” of nuclear arms control were written early. Subsequently, the most influential pieces of writing in our field have usually been found in shorter form. Ten years ago, I compiled a list of articles for the well-read wonk for Foreign Policy magazine. In case you missed it the first time around, or were too young for wonkdom, I’m reprising my list below.
As I noted back then, my choices are keyed to the following questions: Did the article help lay the foundations of analytical work in these fields? Did the article tackle an enduring problem in a creative way? Did the article “order” our field in a significant way? That is, did it shape public thinking and influence policy decisions over an appreciable period of time? And last, did the article encapsulate the bruising debates that were waged over nuclear weapons and arms control?