Bookshelf

Mikhail Gorbachev, A Time for Peace (1985) Richardson & Steirman,New York.

A collection of the Soviet leader’s letters, speeches, commentaries and interviews; an introduction written by the author, a biography and eight pages of colour photographs approved by him.

$17.95 Cdn. at local bookstores or from H.B. Fenn & Co., 7110 Torbram Rd., Mississauga, Ont. L4T 4B5, sole dis­tributors in Canada.

Derek Paul, editor, Defending Europe: Options for Security, Taylor and Frances, Ltd., London and Phila­delphia, 1986.

(Advance publications orders can be placed with the Science for Peace office.)

Gordon Edwards, Production (1985). An outline of the concerns of the Canadian Coalition for Nuclear Respon­sibility since 1975, with particular attention to the role of AECL. From the SfP office, or write CCNR, cy 236 Succ Snowdon, Montreal, Que. 113X 3T4

Anatol Rapoport,“Subjective Aspects of Risk”, Risk Abstracts, Univ. of Waterloo Press, Vol. 3, No.1, Jan. 1986. (Reprints from SfP.) ,

“Consider the frequently invoked idea of the ‘risk’ of a nuclear war. Clearly a population of ‘repeated’ nuclear wars is,for practical purposes, inconceivable. There is, therefore , no way of estimating the ‘real’ Cob – jective) probability of a nuclear war. We can, in principle, determine pro­babilities of (repeatable) events of which a nuclear war would be a fairly certain consequence, and we are inte­rested in the meaning, if any, of the probability of a nuclear war as a consequence of specific policies.”

Eric Fawcett, “Teaching About Physics and Nuclear War”. Physics in Canada Sept., 1985. Reprints available from the national office.

J.M. Pearson, “The Canadian North and a Possible Canadian Influence on US Defence Policy.” Brief to the Special Joint Committee on Canada’s Interna­tional Relations for Science et Paix, Quebec. Available from the national office.

While no real consensus emerged from the conference that gave rise to this book, most of the participants are dissatisfied with present policies and agree on the need for rethinking cer­tain priorities (such as the doctrine of “flexible response”), exploring new paths to security, and devising better means for crisis management.

Perhaps our main objective, as several contributors suggest, should be the search for “comprehensive” security”:a security that is ‘premised on the joint framing of policies for mutual advantage. Such a redirection of political energy would depend on the recognition,in both East and West, that we have deep interests in common, and that this mutuality is a more pro­mising foundation for European secu­rity than is the unceasing pursuit of military – technological advantage. Present policy is full of contradic­tions and inherently fragile. While better alternatives have yet to be fully worked out, Defending Europe is an admirable guide to what we have in­herited, why this inheritance is flawed, and what might emerge from the debates that are now underway.

– Robert Malcolmson Queen’s University

Katie Stortroen, “Letters from Canadian Peace workers”, Peace Research Reviews, Vol. X. No. 2, Oct.,1985. 25 Dundana Ave., Dundas, Ont. L9H 4E5.

A content analysis of 61 returns to a request for life- experience letters answering the question, “What made you decide to work for peace?”

Gaston Fischer, Are There Other Civilizations in the Universe With Whom We May Hope to Establish Contact?

In French or English from SfP.

Pergamon Press, Ltd. is publishing a World Encyclopedia of Peace,to which A. Rapoport has been asked to contri­bute two articles.

Beginning with this issue the national office is able to mail the BULLETIN directly to Chapter members. Those who have missed issues since September can order copies from the national office. In some instances copies are available from Chapter secretaries.