Admission requirements
This course is designed for the minor Intelligence Studies. It is not possible to follow single courses of this minor. You need to be enrolled in uSis for the minor to be accepted to this course.
Description
This course studies nuclear weapons politics as a lens through which to explore how technology, secrecy and uncertainty interact in contemporary international politics.
Nuclear weapons are some of the most powerful and controversial tools of statecraft, yet they are also among the hardest to understand, monitor and control. Because of their destructive potential, not knowing who has these weapons, how they function, or how they might be used creates serious risks. At the same time, political and military actors often deliberately obscure information through secrecy and ambiguity to maintain strategic advantage or prevent backlash.
This course examines how various actors assess and manage nuclear risks when information is limited, contested or deliberately withheld. It focuses on three key dimensions of nuclear risk: capability (what is required to build and operate nuclear weapons?), intent (who seeks to acquire or use them, and how are such intentions signaled or concealed?), and opportunity (when might nuclear acquisition or use become possible or likely?).
Technology is treated as a cross-cutting theme throughout the course. It shapes weapons systems by influencing what can be built and operated. It also affects how intentions are signaled and assessed, and influences how accurately and quickly nuclear acquisition or plans for imminent use can be detected. These factors, in turn, affect both the time available and the confidence decision-makers have when deciding whether and how to respond.
Course objectives
Upon finishing the course, students will be able to:
- Understand the basics of nuclear weapons and related technologies
- Explain how intelligence assessments manage uncertainty about nuclear capability, intent, and opportunity
- Analyze how technology shapes secrecy, signaling, and uncertainty in nuclear programs
- Identify the challenges of monitoring and verifying nuclear activities under conditions of uncertainty
- Assess how uncertainty about others’ nuclear capabilities and intentions shapes a range of strategic and policy decisions
Timetable
On the right side of the programme front page you will find links to the website and timetables, uSis and Brightspace.
Mode of instruction
7 lectures of 3 hours by instructors and guest lecturers
Assessment method
Final exam
100% of total grade
Grade must be 5.50 or higher to pass the course
Resit possible
The Course and Examination Regulation Security Studies and the Rules and Regulation of the Board of Examiners of the Institute of Security and Global Affairs apply.
In the case of written assessment methods, the examiner can always initiate a follow-up conversation with the student to establish whether the learning objectives have been met.
Resit, review & feedback
The resit exam will be held in January 2027 and will follow the same format as the original test. After the exam, you can look over your exam and see your score, and you will have the chance to request an exam‑review meeting. Details about how to schedule that review session will be posted on Brightspace.
Reading list
TBA on brightspace
Registration
Registration via MyStudymap is possible from Tuesday 14 July 2026 13:00h after registration for the entire minor. Register for every course via MyStudymap. Some courses of the minor have a limited number of participants, so register on time. Registration for the exam is mandatory.
Leiden University uses Brightspace as its online learning management system. After enrolment for the course in MyStudymap you will be automatically enrolled in the Brightspace environment of this course.
More information on registration via MyStudymap can be found on this page.
Please note: guest-/contract-/exchange students do not register via MyStudymap but via uSis. Registration via uSis is possible from Thursday 16 July 2026 after registration for the entire minor.
Contact
For substantive questions, contact Dr. Linde Desmaele: l.desmaele@fgga.leidenuniv.nl
For questions about enrolment, admission, etc., contact the Education Administration Office: osc.fgga@fgga.leidenuniv.nl
Remarks
This course can only be taken as part of the minor Intelligence Studies.
All sessions will be in English. Exams and assignments need to be written in English.