Book excerpt: This comprehensively updated second edition provides an introduction to the political, normative, technological and strategic aspects of nuclear weaponry. It offers an accessible overview of the concept of nuclear weapons, outlines how thinking about these weapons has developed and considers how nuclear threats can continue to be managed in the future. This book will help you to understand what nuclear weapons are, the science behind their creation and operation, why states build them in the first place, and whether it will be possible for the world to banish these weapons entirely. Essential reading for all students of International Relations, Security Studies and Military History.