Institutionalization of global organizations in the field of nuclear safety
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: The article analyzes the evolution of the system of international organizations in the field of control over nuclear activities as a complex, multi-level, and functionally differentiated institutional structure. It is shown that its formation took place under conditions of continuous coordination between the aspiration for effective international control and the necessity to preserve state sovereignty. It is substantiated that the effectiveness of this system is determined not only by the formally established mandates of the respective institutions but also by the broader political context of international relations within which the mechanisms of nuclear regulation are implemented. The role of international organizations in ensuring the institutional foundations of nuclear security is revealed. Key indicators of their institutionalization are identified, including legal status, mandate, competences, organizational structure, mechanisms of control and verification, financing, procedural stability, and regularity of operation. It is proven that the establishment of international organizations and regimes of nuclear control was a direct consequence of the emergence of nuclear weapons as a qualitatively new factor of global security in the post-war period. It is clarified that the process of institutionalization of nuclear control mechanisms had an uneven and asymmetric character, reflecting differences in the political interests and strategic priorities of states. It is substantiated that crises of effectiveness of international organizations in the field of nuclear control are systemic in nature and are primarily caused by the contradiction between the principle of state sovereignty and the need to delegate control powers to supranational institutions. It is proven that strengthening legal and procedural mechanisms does not eliminate political conflicts but rather transforms them into the sphere of interpretation of norms, verification procedures, and compliance.
Source: Society and Security
Author: Olena Voitiuk
Institution: Zhytomyr Polytechnic State University
Language: English
Topic: Nuclear Issues and Defense
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W7140182385