--- title: "PCWP 2026 — Glasgow | Model Diplomat" description: "Popular Culture and World Politics (PCWP) Conference v17 – Atomic Anxiety in the New Nuclear Age is a professional conference in Glasgow, United Kingdom,…" url: "https://modeldiplomat.com/conferences/professional/popular-culture-and-world-politics-pcwp-conference-v17-atomic-anxiety-in-the-new-nuclear-age-2026" --- # Popular Culture and World Politics (PCWP) Conference v17 – Atomic Anxiety in the New Nuclear Age Nov 19–20, 2026[Glasgow, United Kingdom](https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1\&query=Glasgow%2C%20United%20Kingdom)In-person Starts in 12 days[Registration open](https://atomicanxiety.com/pcwp-v17/) The Popular Culture and World Politics (PCWP) Conference, in its seventeenth iteration, will convene in Glasgow, United Kingdom to explore the theme of "Atomic Anxiety in the New Nuclear Age." This event will delve into how popular culture reflects and shapes public understanding and anxieties surrounding nuclear weapons and their implications in the current global environment. Participants will analyze various forms of media and cultural expressions to understand the evolving discourse on nuclear threats and their societal impact. ## Committees & topics - International Atomic Energy Agency International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA): Safeguards and Proliferation in a New Nuclear Age ## Why it matters The concept of "atomic anxiety" is a critical lens through which to understand contemporary international relations. In an era marked by shifting geopolitical dynamics and technological advancements, the specter of nuclear conflict continues to influence policy, public opinion, and cultural narratives. This conference offers a timely platform to examine how these anxieties are articulated and processed through popular culture, providing insights into societal perceptions of risk and security. Understanding the cultural dimensions of nuclear anxiety is crucial for policymakers and analysts alike. Popular culture often serves as a barometer for collective fears and hopes, and by studying its manifestations, we can gain a deeper appreciation for the psychological and social impacts of nuclear weapons. This interdisciplinary approach allows for a more nuanced understanding of the challenges associated with nuclear deterrence, disarmament, and non-proliferation. The conference's focus on the "New Nuclear Age" acknowledges that while the fundamental threat of nuclear weapons remains, the context in which this threat operates has changed. New actors, technologies, and geopolitical alignments contribute to a complex and evolving landscape. Analyzing popular culture's engagement with these changes can reveal emergent trends in public sentiment and potential areas for intervention or communication strategies. ## How to prepare To effectively engage with the themes of the conference, delegates should consider preparing by exploring the intersection of popular culture and international security. A foundational understanding of how cultural products, such as films, literature, video games, and music, have historically engaged with nuclear themes will be beneficial. This includes examining the evolution of nuclear narratives from the Cold War era to the present day. Delegates may also benefit from reviewing theoretical frameworks that link culture, media, and international relations. Concepts such as soft power, public diplomacy, and the role of narratives in shaping foreign policy are particularly relevant. Understanding how popular culture can both reflect and influence public perceptions of nuclear threats is key to contributing meaningfully to the discussions. Consideration of specific case studies or examples from various national or regional contexts could further enrich participation. For instance, analyzing how nuclear anxiety is portrayed in media from different countries could highlight diverse cultural responses and geopolitical perspectives. This approach aligns with the principles of \[Dynamic Analysis](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/lessons/dynamic-analysis)\ and \[Gender Dynamics Across Cultures](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/lessons/gender-dynamics-across-cultures)\, encouraging a comprehensive understanding of the topic. ## Country perspectives Where the most-relevant 4 countries stand on the core issues in play. Click through for the full country profile. [United Kingdom](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-kingdom) [As the host nation, GBR provides a significant backdrop for discussions on nuclear anxiety, given its own history as a nuclear power and its role in international security frameworks.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-kingdom) [Role in topic](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-kingdom) [GBR, as a permanent member of the UN Security Council and a nuclear-weapon state, has a vested interest in the global discourse surrounding nuclear weapons. Its cultural output often reflects its unique position in international affairs, offering a rich source for analysis within the conference's theme.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-kingdom) [United States](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-states) [The USA's extensive history with nuclear weapons and its prominent role in global security make its cultural expressions of atomic anxiety particularly influential.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-states) [Role in topic](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-states) [The USA has been a central figure in the nuclear age since its inception. Its popular culture has consistently engaged with themes of nuclear war, deterrence, and the societal impact of atomic power, providing a vast archive for scholarly examination of atomic anxiety.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-states) [Russia](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/russia) [RUS, as a major nuclear power, contributes significantly to the global narrative of nuclear security, with its cultural products often reflecting its strategic perspectives.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/russia) [Role in topic](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/russia) [RUS possesses one of the largest nuclear arsenals and has a complex relationship with nuclear deterrence. Its cultural landscape offers unique insights into how atomic anxiety is perceived and represented within a major nuclear-weapon state, influencing global perceptions.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/russia) [China](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/china) [CHN's growing influence as a nuclear power and its distinct cultural context offer a unique perspective on atomic anxiety in the contemporary world.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/china) [Role in topic](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/china) [CHN's rise as a global power includes its development and modernization of nuclear capabilities. Examining its popular culture can reveal how atomic anxiety is understood and communicated within a rapidly evolving geopolitical and societal context, offering a non-Western perspective.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/china) ## Topics & background The background behind each topic and the actors that shape it. 1 ### International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA): Safeguards and Proliferation in a New Nuclear Age The International Atomic Energy Agency was established in 1957 as the world's 'Atoms for Peace' organization, tasked with promoting peaceful uses of nuclear energy while preventing the diversion of nuclear material to weapons programs. Its safeguards mandate was significantly expanded by the 1968 Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), which made the IAEA the principal verification authority for non-nuclear-weapon states. Over subsequent decades, the Agency developed Comprehensive Safeguards Agreements and, after the discovery of Iraq's clandestine program in 1991, the Additional Protocol, which grants inspectors broader access to undeclared sites and activities. The contemporary nonproliferation landscape has placed the Agency under unusual strain. The 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) imposed the most intrusive monitoring regime in IAEA history on Iran, but after the United States' 2018 withdrawal, Tehran has progressively reduced cooperation, enriched uranium to 60 percent, and restricted inspector access. North Korea, which withdrew from the NPT in 2003, continues to expand its arsenal outside any safeguards framework. Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine produced the first armed conflict around operating nuclear power plants, with the Zaporizhzhia facility repeatedly shelled and disconnected from the grid, prompting Director General Rafael Grossi to establish a permanent IAEA presence on site and propose 'seven indispensable pillars' of nuclear safety in wartime. Today the Agency confronts overlapping crises: verifying Iran's program with degraded access, monitoring the safety of Ukrainian reactors under occupation, addressing the AUKUS naval-propulsion precedent for highly enriched uranium transfers to a non-nuclear-weapon state, and managing the trilateral safeguards questions raised by emerging nuclear newcomers. Debate centers on whether existing legal instruments remain adequate, how to enforce compliance without politicizing technical work, and how the IAEA can preserve its credibility as both watchdog and promoter of peaceful nuclear technology. Key players - [United States](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-states) [Leading NPT depositary state pressing for stricter verification on Iran and DPRK; party to AUKUS naval-propulsion arrangement.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-states) - [Russia](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/russia) [Nuclear-weapon state whose forces occupy Zaporizhzhia NPP, central to wartime nuclear safety debates and a major supplier of reactor technology.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/russia) - [China](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/china) [Expanding nuclear arsenal and civil nuclear exports; key Board of Governors voice shaping safeguards policy and Iran diplomacy.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/china) - [Iran](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/iran) [Subject of the most contentious safeguards file, enriching uranium near weapons-grade while restricting inspector access.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/iran) - [North Korea](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/north-korea) [Only state to have withdrawn from the NPT; operates an unsafeguarded weapons program and conducts continued missile and nuclear testing.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/north-korea) - [Ukraine](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/ukraine) [Host state of Europe's largest nuclear plant under occupation; central to the Agency's wartime safety mission and 'seven pillars' framework.](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/ukraine) ## Resources News, lessons, and country profiles to prep for Popular Culture and World Politics (PCWP) Conference v17 – Atomic Anxiety in the New Nuclear Age. Recent reporting to ground your prep [Ukraine Drone Strikes Crimea Power Grid](https://modeldiplomat.com/story/ukraine-drone-strikes-crimea-power-grid) [Iran War's Impact](https://modeldiplomat.com/story/iran-wars-impact-africas-forests-face-devastation) [Hormuz Closure Threatens Trump's AI Plans](https://modeldiplomat.com/story/hormuz-closure-threatens-trumps-ai-plans) [Janet Mills Vetoes Maine Data Center Moratoru](https://modeldiplomat.com/story/maines-janet-mills-vetoes-data-center-moratorium-shifts-power) Lessons Bite-sized lessons to build the basics [Hidden Stakeholders](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/lessons/hidden-stakeholders) [Engagement Strategies](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/lessons/engagement-strategies) [Dynamic Analysis](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/lessons/dynamic-analysis) [Stakeholder Mapping Workshop](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/lessons/stakeholder-workshop) Courses Guided courses that go deeper on the topic [Advanced Negotiation](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/courses/advanced-negotiation) [Multilateral Negotiation](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/courses/multilateral-negotiation) [Policy Brief Writing](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/courses/policy-brief) [Conflict Resolution](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/courses/conflict-resolution) The states in play, with the data that shapes their stance [United Kingdom](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-kingdom) [Country dossier](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-kingdom) [United States](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-states) [Country dossier](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/united-states) [Russia](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/russia) [Country dossier](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/russia) [China](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/china) [Country dossier](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/china) [Iran](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/iran) [Country dossier](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/iran) [North Korea](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/north-korea) [Country dossier](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/north-korea) [Ukraine](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/ukraine) [Country dossier](https://modeldiplomat.com/country/ukraine) ## Frequently asked questions - - - Free account Save conferences, research any topic with AI, build position papers, and keep your daily prep streak — free. [Create free account](https://modeldiplomat.com/sign-up?next=%2Fconferences%2Fprofessional%2Fpopular-culture-and-world-politics-pcwp-conference-v17-atomic-anxiety-in-the-new-nuclear-age-2026) Already a member? [Log in](https://modeldiplomat.com/sign-in?next=%2Fconferences%2Fprofessional%2Fpopular-culture-and-world-politics-pcwp-conference-v17-atomic-anxiety-in-the-new-nuclear-age-2026) Free account Save conferences, research any topic with AI, build position papers, and keep your daily prep streak — free. [Create free account](https://modeldiplomat.com/sign-up?next=%2Fconferences%2Fprofessional%2Fpopular-culture-and-world-politics-pcwp-conference-v17-atomic-anxiety-in-the-new-nuclear-age-2026) Already a member? [Log in](https://modeldiplomat.com/sign-in?next=%2Fconferences%2Fprofessional%2Fpopular-culture-and-world-politics-pcwp-conference-v17-atomic-anxiety-in-the-new-nuclear-age-2026)