Issues: Security and disarmament

Security and disarmament

SGR produces a range of resources on the issue of 'security and disarmament'. This covers military technologies, arms control and disarmament (esp. nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction, ‘Missile Defense’, conventional weapons) - as well as alternative concepts of security, peace building and conflict prevention.

Scientists and engineers have a central role in the development of weapons and therefore share a special responsibilty to society. SGR's project work has investigated the extensive influence that the military has over science and technology.

The case against UK nuclear weapons

Presentation by Dr Stuart Parkinson, SGR, at Lancaster University

1 December 2014
 

Militarisation of science and technology: lessons from the UK

Presentation by Dr Stuart Parkinson, SGR, at the workshop, ‘Militarization of Science 1914 and Today’, at the Sarajevo Peace Event, Bosnia. Similar presentations were given at the NATO counter-summit, Newport, Wales and the CAAT/STW campaigners day, Manchester, England.

6 June; 31 August; 11 October 2014
 

Will nuclear weapons be the deciding factor in the Scottish referendum?

Dr Stuart Parkinson, SGR, argues that different views on the ethics of technology could be the deciding factor in the Scottish independence referendum.

ResponsibleSci blog, 11 September 2014
 

The struggle to ban chemical weaponry: lessons from World War I to the present

On the centenary of the outbreak of World War I, Prof Peter Nicholls, University of Essex, examines the development and use of chemical weapons from that period to the modern day, highlighting some of the ethical debates involving scientists and policy-makers.

Article from SGR Newsletter no.43 (advance publication), 28 July 2014
 

Joint letter to Prime Minister on National Security Strategy

SGR has signed a joint open letter to Prime Minister David Cameron calling for a rethink over the UK's security strategy, arguing that there needs to be more focus on tackling the roots of conflict.

30 April 2014
 

Climate or military?

The publication of the latest volume from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) - which focuses on reducing carbon emissions - has coincidentally come as the annual figures on global military spending are released. Comparing these sources provides a revealing insight into the priorities of our political masters - and how they misuse science and technology.

ResponsibleSci blog entry by Dr Stuart Parkinson, SGR, 14 April 2014

 

Science Festivals: how can we challenge the power of big business?

ResponsibleSci blog entry by Dr Stuart Parkinson, SGR, 28 March 2014
 

Take arms firms out of the Big Bang Fair

Over a dozen SGR members, including Secretary Dr Charalampos Tsoumpas and Sponsor Prof David Webb are among the signatories of a letter to The Guardian newspaper protesting about arms industry sponsorship of the The Big Bang science fair.

12 March 2014
 

Military R&D: Is it helping or hindering our security? (Feb 2014)

Presentation by Dr Stuart Parkinson, SGR, at Dept of Sociology, Lancaster University

25 February 2014
 

Nuclear weapons over wind turbines? UK R&D policies are warped

Weapons of mass destruction get five times as much public research cash in the UK as renewable energy. Time for a rethink, says Dr Stuart Parkinson, SGR

Article in New Scientist, 10 February 2014