The international community needs to redouble its efforts to prevent the proliferation of nuclear materials from getting into the hands of rogue states and actors, Graham Allison told MPP students in a seminar at the Blavatnik School of Government on 1 November.
Drawing on his latest book Nuclear Terrorism: the Ultimate Preventable Catastrophe, Professor Allison explored the ‘fragility of the global nuclear order’. The critical feature from the book that Professor Allison focused on was the concept of preventability, and in doing so advised students that this is a crucial policy arena where both the capacity and knowledge exist, but where the international community may be lacking the will.
As founding dean of the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, Professor Allison also spent time with students, staff and faculty at the Blavatnik School to speak on the ‘Visions, Illusions and Delusions for a School of Government and Public Policy’. He shared his personal insights based on the experience of leading a School of Government to renown, and urged the inaugural class of students to consider themselves as ‘co-venturers’ in the development of a world-class school.
‘Professor Allison’s session was an inspiring invitation for us to reflect on how we can contribute to enhancing the program both for ourselves this year and for the students who will follow’, said MPP student Victor Finkel. ‘Our cohort strongly feels this sense of ownership over our program, and it is resulting in a friendly social environment, active participation in classes and support for each other in studies and learning through forums and lectures on our own areas of expertise and interest’.
Graham Allison is the Douglas Dillon Professor of Government at Harvard and was the founding dean of the modern Harvard Kennedy School of Government. He is director of the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, the Kennedy School’s principal research centre for international security policy issues. He served as assistant secretary of defense in the Clinton Administration and as an adviser to the secretary of defense during the Reagan Administration.
