Living With Nuclear Theses

Several Harvard undergraduates are trying to organize a forum for seniors who intend to write their theses on nuclear-related issues.

Webster A Stone '84 said he first thought of organizing the discussion group as a student response to "Living with Nuclear Weapons," a book published last June by several Harvard professors.

"In his 1982 Commencement speech. President Bok discussed the importance of information and debate about nuclear war," Stone said. "I think this is something students should be involved in as well," he added.

The program, which would be sponsored by the Institute of Politics Student Advisory Committee (SAC), would bring together roughly 20 seniors from different departments. The group would most periodically with faculty members, possibly including Professor Joseph S. Nye Jr., to "share valuable information and advice," said Steven L. Grand '84, chairman of the SAC.

The SAC yesterday sent department head tutors a letter asking them to spread the word to students who might be interested.

"The idea seems to be excellent," said Bok in a letter to Stone, "provided we do not stimulate more theses than we have competent instructors to supervise them."

Although the organizers stress that this would not be the ultimate goal of the project, they are also considering publishing a collection of the edited theses next year, as a complement to the professors' book.

"Students are all too often willing to march about nuclear arms, then go for pizza and forget all about it," said Stone. He added that "most aren't really interested in really sitting down and hashing out the issues, and I hope this will finally stimulate some real debate."