This bachelor’s thesis examines the divergent nuclear energy policies of Germany and France, the two most powerful economies in the European Union. By exploring the factors that have influenced...Show moreThis bachelor’s thesis examines the divergent nuclear energy policies of Germany and France, the two most powerful economies in the European Union. By exploring the factors that have influenced their policy development, such as public opinion, social movements, electoral shifts, major nuclear incidents, and energy security, the thesis seeks to answer the research question: “How did the differences in nuclear energy policy between France and Germany come to be and develop?”. The historical background and path dependencies in both countries are analysed to understand their distinct approaches to nuclear energy. The thesis finds that Germany’s strong anti-nuclear sentiment, influenced by the aftermath of nuclear accidents and its historical legacy, contrasts with France’s lack of politicization and a strong dependence on the nuclear industry. The thesis further highlights the role of public opinion and social movements in shaping policy decisions, as seen in Germany’s policy reversal following the Fukushima disaster. The research concludes that factors such as energy security, public opinion, social movements, electoral shifts, and major nuclear events significantly impact the development of nuclear energy policy. This study provides a basis for future research and offers an addition to the literature in this field which can be used to analyse nuclear energy policies in other countries.Show less
Many aspects surrounding the history of US intelligence agencies during the Cold War have been explored such as the espionage and counter-espionage operations against the Soviet Union as well as...Show moreMany aspects surrounding the history of US intelligence agencies during the Cold War have been explored such as the espionage and counter-espionage operations against the Soviet Union as well as the secret operations that were conducted to influence the political environments of various countries around the world. However, not enough attention has been paid to the successful attempts at nuclear arms control such as the Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT), which is an essential part of Cold War history. Therefore, this thesis examines the role of US intelligence in the SALT I negotiations using a case study analysis. It explores the function, effectiveness and impact of US intelligence during the negotiation process as well as the way in which early technological developments in imagery intelligence expanded US intelligence agencies, making them central to future nuclear arms control efforts. This thesis utilizes primary sources published by the US Government, the digital archives from its intelligence agencies as well as academic secondary sources to present a detailed analysis of the role of US intelligence in the SALT I negotiations. In doing so, this thesis argues that US intelligence had a significant role in the negotiations of SALT I, impacting both the negotiation process as well as its outcome. This rests on the following findings. First, technological developments in the 19th and 20th century led to vastly improved imagery intelligence which allowed for nuclear arms control to become a realistic option due to new ways of monitoring agreements. Second, US intelligence had an important function in providing intelligence estimates of Soviet nuclear capabilities during the time of the negotiations. Third, US intelligence overcame several political and technical challenges and was effective in performing its task. Finally, this effectiveness led to the SALT I agreements relying on intelligence agencies to monitor and verify compliance.Show less
