In a context where the strategic threats to democracies are multiplying, how can we establish a constructive debate on the tensions between democratic ideals and procedures on the one hand, and the use of nuclear deterrence on the other? This is the question addressed in the collective work Démocratie(s) et Dissuasion (Odile Jacob, 2024), edited by Mélanie Rosselet. It focuses on the ethical, rationality and legitimacy issues raised by nuclear deterrence and attempts to provide answers to questions that are crucial to the future of democratic regimes: What strategic threats do they face? Is deterrence still an acceptable solution for democracies? What are the challenges and limits of democratic debate on this subject? The texts in this book are the result of a colloquium held in 2022 at the Bibliothèque nationale de France and a one-day tribute to Thérèse Delpech at the ENS-Ulm.
Mélanie Rosselet is a diplomat and associate expert at the Centre interdisciplinaire sur les enjeux stratégiques (CIENS) at the École normale supérieure de Paris (ENS-Ulm). She is the former Director of Strategic Analysis at the French Atomic Energy and Alternative Energies Commission (CEA). Â
A replay of this strategic debate is available on our Youtube channel:
