This chapter examines the criticisms levelled at strategic studies from the ‘Golden Age’ of nuclear strategy through to contemporary critiques. The ‘Golden Age’ of strategic studies between the mid-1950s and mid-1960s saw the rise of a new breed of ‘second wave’ civilian strategists that favoured the incorporation of game theory and systems analysis into the study of nuclear strategy and deterrence. The chapter first considers prominent critical appraisals of deterrence theory in the 1960s and how these critiques were subsequently addressed by proponents of strategic theory. It then discusses critical approaches to the study of security that presented a challenge to strategic studies and its various assumptions. It also analyses the current status of the relationship between strategic studies and its critics, along with the important role that critical engagement might play in the future development of strategic studies.
The article considers the state of things in Russian oil refining. The options for its modernization are analyzed, as well as the effects of tax reforms in the sector. It is noted that current tax reforms mostly touch upon refining, not oil extraction, so one can expect further reforms in the sector and their impact on the industry.
The future of strategic studies: Lessons from the last ‘golden age’
