Conventional Options Theory in the New Nuclear Era

Tyler Bowen from the US Naval War College joins us to discuss his recent TNSR article " Threading the Needle: The Logic of Conventional Coercion in Nuclear Crises." We discuss the renewed interest in nuclear deterrence given recent global security developments such as Russia's war in Ukraine and China's nuclear expansion. The conversation also explores the challenges and frameworks, particularly Bowen's "conventional options theory," key historical case studies involving nuclear crises, and their lessons for modern policymakers.

You can listen to Conventional Options Theory in the New Nuclear Era online on Radio and Podcast. Open the player on this page to stream the available audio.

Conventional Options Theory in the New Nuclear Era is an episode from Horns of a Dilemma by War on the Rocks.

This episode is 42:42 long.

This episode was published on Jan 7, 2026.

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