The Puzzle: Nuclear Latency and Participation in the Non-Proliferation Regime

The non-proliferation of nuclear weapons (NNP) has been tried by a diffuse regime of formal and informal institutions. The “cornerstone” of this regime is the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), was first opened to signatures in 1968 (UNODA 2017, Preamble). This regime is, however, more than the NPT alone (Knopf 2016a; Fields 2014). Today, over thirty formal and informal institutions tackle different facets of non-proliferation. Some institutions define structures at a regional level, like the nuclear-weapon-free zones (NWFZ); others offer informal arrangements to discuss non-proliferation and disarmament, such as the New Agenda Coalition (NAC).