Nuclear Weapons and a Nation’s Ontological Security

Analysis Research

Open Access

Peer-reviewed

Nuclear Weapons and a Nation’s Ontological Security

K C Monnappa

DIP: 18.02.013/20251002

DOI: 10.25215/2455/1002013

Received: May 03, 2025; Revision Received: May 01, 2025; Accepted: May 03, 2025

Abstract

This paper examines the intersection between nuclear weapons policy and the concept of ontological security. Ontological security — defined as the confidence in the continuity of self-identity and the constancy of one’s social and material environment (Giddens, 1991) — has become an increasingly relevant concept in international relations theory. By exploring how nuclear arsenals serve not only as instruments of deterrence but also as symbolic anchors for state identity, the paper demonstrates that nuclear capabilities contribute to a nation’s sense of existential stability. This study reviews foundational theoretical works, discusses empirical cases, and considers the policy implications of anchoring national identity in nuclear strength.

Keywords

The author(s) appreciates all those who participated in the study and helped to facilitate the research process.

The author(s) declared no conflict of interest.

This is an Open Access Research distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any Medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Responding Author Information

K C Monnappa @ monaps@nehu.ac.in

Nuclear Weapons and a Nation’s Ontological Security

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Article Overview

ISSN 2348-5396

ISSN 2349-3429

DIP: 18.02.013/20251002

DOI: 10.25215/2455/1002013

Published in

Volume 10 Issue 2, April – June, 2025

14Downloads
0Citations
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References

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