Nuclear Dialogues examines the emergence of the nuclear nonproliferation norm as the product of a sustained discursive process. Zoë I. Levornik traces the evolution of this norm from the early nuclear age to the present, demonstrating how it was constructed and diffused through the practices of antinuclear activists and the broader antinuclear movement. Rather than engaging solely in protest, activists sought to (re)construct the meaning of nuclear weapons through discursive action.
The advent of the nuclear age generated competing narratives regarding its nature and utility: one that normalized nuclear weapons as merely “bigger bombs,” and another that sought to delegitimize them as categorically distinct weapons. Antinuclear activists ultimately succeeded in establishing a dominant antinuclear discourse, which continues to shape contemporary understandings of nuclear weapons.
Control over discourse constituted the first stage in the emergence of the nonproliferation norm; the second involved shaping public opinion and influencing nuclear policymaking. By mobilizing public sentiment, antinuclear activists exerted pressure on decision-makers to pursue arms control and disarmament agreements, thereby contributing to the norm’s political and legal institutionalization. Nuclear Dialogues explicitly connects discursive action, norms, and policy outcomes. Levornik highlights the capacity of discursive arguments to shape perceptions, inform policy choices, and ultimately transform international politics. Change the words, and you can change the world.