Banning the Bomb, Smashing the Patriarchy

Two years ago, at the United Nations in New York, activists and diplomats banned nuclearweapons. This book covers the story of their collective activism—a story of courage and hope, as well as lessons learned, that will hopefully inform and inspire others working for social justice.The story of banning the bomb belongs to these diplomats, along with activists who brought alegacy of protest and vision for an alternative future to the international table. This is, ultimately, a story of resistance and of movement building. It is a story of people saying, “¡Ya basta!,” enough, to the nuclear-armed governments. But this movement did not just reject what the nuclear-armed were offering. It consciously, creatively, and collectively sought to build something new—to generate and promote ideas, arguments, and frameworks that would disrupt mainstream myths and narratives about nuclear weapons, institute new international norms and laws, and ultimately set in place key mechanisms for the abolition of the atomic bomb.I was directly involved in this work as an activist with one of the partner organizations of ICAN. I represented my organization, the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF), on ICAN’s International Steering Group. The steering group is the policy-making body of ICAN, a group of ten activist organizations from around the world that works with ICAN’s staff team to lead the campaign. As a genderqueer feminist peace activist, I tried to promote a feminist vision of both process and product in my work with ICAN—to bring theories and experiences of feminist and queer activists to the task of banning nuclear weapons. The nuclear weapon policy and discourse space is one that commonly reeks of toxic masculinity.

Ray Acheson's Banning the Bomb, Smashing the Patriarchy is a striking contribution to the literature on nuclear politics. The book explores how and why states and civil society actors came together to prohibit nuclear weapons. The book is a valuable tool for policy-makers, academics, students and activists alike. The tone is accessible and the narrative flows seamlessly. Acheson provides an excellent introduction to the complex intersection of power, gender and nuclear weapons, while setting out a feminist manifesto for change.-- "International Affairs", With this book, Ray Acheson guides us through the collaborative processes that brought about the 2016 UN Treaty for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW), the first legally-binding international agreement to comprehensively prohibit nuclear weapons. Acheson is director of Reaching Critical Will, the disarmament programme of the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF).-- "Peace News", In Ray Acheson's Banning the Bomb: Smashing the Patriarchy and Alexander Kmentt's The Treaty Prohibiting Nuclear Weapons: How It Was Achieved and Why It Matters, readers are offered two recent histories of the movement to change the discourse surrounding nuclear weapons and bring about the TPNW. The books offer unique but complementary views from two actors involved in the process.... Both would be enjoyable for general audiences interested in nuclear issues. More importantly, they should be read by those in the nuclear policy space, whether they support the ban treaty or not, because the arguments behind the movement have become part of the global conversation on the future of nuclear weapons and they are not going away.-- "Arms Control Today", Acheson has dedicated the past decade to the nuclear disarmament movement as an activist, researcher, and expert. She sums up her experiences in this passionate, thought-provoking, and highly detailed look into the history of the call to ban the bomb, the creation of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN), and the adoption of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in 2017. Acheson covers key issues pertaining to nuclear weapons, strategically breaking down the arguments behind the weapons' manufacture and highlighting the racial, patriarchal, and capitalist motivations for their creation, deployment, and stockpiling. She also analyzes the socioeconomic, environmental, and cultural impacts nuclear weapons have on the world. Acheson smoothly and convincingly argues that nuclear proliferation is a global issue and must be discussed globally, setting the stage for her uniquely incisive discussion of the multigenerational "humanitarian initiative" in support of banning the bomb. This is a powerful and encouraging approach to an often overlooked concern, an informative work that will inspire readers to pay close attention to and even consider participating in the nuclear weapons disarmament movement.-- "Booklist", Written from the perspective of an activist who is intimately involved in the process of shifting the discourse of nuclear weapons from deterrence and national security to humanitarian considerations, this book is an excellent case study on how interests, identities, and norms can change--how these are socially constructed. The material from the author's interviews with diplomats and activists provide essential strategies for effective campaigning.--Kristen P. Williams, Clark University

Ray Acheson is currently Program Director, Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, New York. As Director of WILPF’s disarmament program, Reaching Critical Will, I lead the organization’s work on stigmatizing war and violence, advocating for disarmament and arms control, and raising gender perspectives on militarism and weapons. I provide analysis, reporting, research, and advocacy across of range of issues, including nuclear weapons, armed drones, autonomous weapons, small arms, the arms trade, and the use of explosive weapons in populated areas. I represent WILPF within the International Steering Group of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN), which won the 2017 Nobel Peace Prize. For ICAN, I worked closely with other activist partners and with governments to develop the key strategies and advocacy for the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons from 2010 to 2017, when the Treaty was negotiated and adopted at the United Nations.