(PIN Points) In the contemporary world of growing complexity where major social, political, and economic shifts are determined by unexpected, cascade, and even catastrophic developments, facilitation of coordination among actors become vital. When decisions on cooperation or conflict de-escalation have to be taken under severe time pressure, the importance of conspicuous solutions is difficult to overestimate. Such solutions are often called “focal points” and include numbers, objects, and phenomena the value of which as bases for coordination is expected be evident to all parties involved. This essay looks at the role of focal points in facilitating arms control negotiations – a key activity shaping contemporary international security. The intuitive point of departure for the analysis presented in this essay is that symbolism plays a crucial role in enabling compromise in arms control negotiation – an area prone to zerosum thinking and excessive concerns about falling victim to artful exploitation by the opponent. […]
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