Arms Control II; New Directions in Disarmament; Nuclear Proliferation: Breaking the Chain

The first two of these volumes purport to present new approaches to arms control. The Barton-Imai book does this best, even if it is not what the title suggests; for this is a Japanese-American symposium concentrating on Asian security concerns. It is, nevertheless, done very well, and there are some unusual contributions, such as the chapter on Japanese political attitudes and economic incentives regarding arms transfers. The emphasis on regional arms control opportunities, rather than universal ones, is to be welcomed and emulated in other regions. The Epstein-Feld volume is the result of a 1980 Pugwash meeting. Although it is sound in addressing approaches such as confidence-building measures and a cut-off of production of fissionable materials, it does not break much new ground. Nuclear Proliferation consists of a series of essays of high quality, with an emphasis on political considerations, first published in the Winter 1980 issue of International Organization.