AMC Annual Conference 2025

We are excited to announce our fourth AMC Cross-Disciplinary Conference: Paths to Disarmament in Times of Nuclear Threat. The conference will take place in Uppsala, Sweden, on 12–13 June 2025. Parts of the conference can also be attended remotely.

The AMC Cross-Disciplinary Conference provides a space to share and discuss research and ideas on nuclear disarmament. The conference aims to combine insights from the social sciences with those from the natural sciences as well as knowledge stemming from other disciplines and practical experience.

The two-day cross-disciplinary conference will feature opening and closing plenary sessions as well as interactive thematic sessions to present current research and policy debates. Some sessions will be more technical in nature and others more geared toward social science contributions. Since an important aspect of the conference is promoting cross-disciplinary exchanges, we aim to also include activities facilitating exchanges between academics, practitioners, civil society and the interested public.

A Message from our Director

The Alva Myrdal Centre for Nuclear Disarmament (AMC) was inaugurated two years ago, at a time when the perceived risk that nuclear weapons would be used was at its highest since the worst days of the Cold War. The Russian renewed full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 was a watershed in international affairs, but in terms of the prospects for nuclear arms control and disarmament, the negative trend began several years earlier. The arms-control architecture that was created during the Cold War is largely gone, as evidenced by the withdrawal of the United States from the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty and the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, along with Russia's suspension of its participation in the New START Treaty and de-ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty.

Meanwhile, China has embarked on a significant build-up of its nuclear arsenal since the early 2000s. The nuclear weapon states are all engaged in modernising their nuclear forces, and we are potentially on the cusp of a new nuclear arms race. The initiation of semi-official arms control talks between the US and China after years of reluctance offered a positive development in risk reduction efforts. Still, China recently halted the talks due to US arms sales to Taiwan. At the time of writing these words, the war in the Middle East is growing by the day, and the nuclear weapons dimension is present in discussions, particularly around Israel and Iran.

Despite these negative developments, a global community of scholars, practitioners, and civil society organisers continue to work constructively on nuclear disarmament in a broad sense, including arms control and non-proliferation. The conference in June offers a meeting space to share and discuss research and ideas as well as an excellent opportunity for networking.

In these gloomy times, it is all the more important to keep working for positive change both in the long and short term and to look for paths to disarmament. It is my sincere hope that you will consider joining us, either online or in person in Uppsala.

-Erik Melander, Director of the AMC

Register as Attendee

Interested in attending the conference without proposing an activity? Registration will open in January. Please check back here for more information and details.

The AMC Annual Conference is an opportunity to…

• Network with academics, practitioners and others interested in nuclear disarmament;
• Learn about the latest research in the field of nuclear disarmament;
• Influence the future of nuclear disarmament research and policy by presenting your own work or by contributing with your knowledge and perspectives to enhance the research presented.

Voices from AMC’s Annual Conferences

“The AMC conference gives participants a space where you can network, discuss latest research development, and get inspired.”

“Everybody engaged so enthusiastically with all topics, participants, events and spirit of the conference. The selection of participants as well as topics was constructively wide reaching and diverse.”

“The transdisciplinary mix was especially valuable.”

“Excellent panels and atmosphere, great organisation and awesome venue.”

“I had a rather high expectations for the conference in terms of academic substance. And the conference really managed to deliver.”