POSTPONED: Brinkmanship and Balance: A Camden Conference Community Event

Friday | January 26, 2024
5:00pm - 6:00pm

Location: Online via Zoom
Audience: Adults, Seniors

The flags of Pakistan and India sit next to each other

THIS EVENT HAS BEEN POSTPONED.

Dr. Asif Nawaz will explore the delicate and often precarious dynamics of nuclear diplomacy and strategy between India and Pakistan. The talk will examine how both nations, armed with nuclear capabilities, engage in a complex strategic dance of brinkmanship — a risky game of pushing each other to the brink of conflict without tipping over into full-scale war. The topic will explore the stability-instability paradox, a concept illustrating how nuclear deterrence can simultaneously prevent large-scale wars and encourage smaller, more frequent conflicts. This paradox shapes much of the regional interactions, where both India and Pakistan find themselves in a continuous balancing act. Dr. Nawaz will talk about the historical incidents and current nuclear doctrines of India and Pakistan and the broader implications of the nuclear rivalry on regional and global security.

About the Speaker:
Dr Nawaz is an Assistant Professor of History and International Affairs at the University of Maine. Dr. Nawaz received his Ph.D. in Security Studies from Kansas State University and an MPhil and an M.A in Defense and Strategic Studies from Quaid-i-Azam University. His teaching interests include the history of modern terrorism, political Islam, South Asian, and Middle Eastern military history and politics, and the evolution of modern warfare.

 REGISTER NOW »

About the Series » PPL Camden Conference Community Events

2024 Camden Conference Logo
India: Rising Ambitions, Challenges at Home.

PPL partners each year with the Camden Conference to bring a series of original programs to our community in addition to the conference itself, held in mid-coast Maine. In 2024, the conference celebrates its 37th season. The theme will be India: Rising Ambitions, Challenges at Home. Portland Public Library is offering three related Community Events this fall.   The conference itself, is scheduled for mid-coast Maine on the weekend of February 16-18, 2024.

Seventy-five years after independence, India is on track to have both the world’s largest population and the second largest economy. It is pursuing a unique path as a democracy and as an ambitious player in global affairs. Possession of nuclear weapons gives it prestige globally and confidence in its security amid unstable neighbors. Domestically, a diverse, complicated, multicultural mosaic of issues—from poverty, caste, religion, to repression of women and minorities—pose unrelenting challenges for democratic institutions. How will a younger generation of Indian leaders choose its priorities? What’s at stake for China, Russia and the United States as India expands its role in the global economy and becomes a more assertive leader in the Indo-Pacific region?

Join Camden Conference from February 16-18, 2024 to learn more about this exceptional country and its potential as a global player.

Recommended Readings

To view the full list of books suggestions for this year’s theme, visit the Camden Conference Recommended Readings.