08.04.2026 - 10:22:25

Dr. Leonardo Bandarra

New journal article by Leonardo Bandarra

Since the 1945 bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the risk of nuclear war has remained a persistent source of fear and anxiety, particularly among children. While disarmament activists often invoke “saving children’s futures” to advocate for a global ban of nuclear weapons, this approach frequently overlooks children’s active agency in interpreting nuclear threats. This article addresses this gap by exploring children’s imaginaries of war grounded in nuclear anxiety through a qualitative visual and content analysis of 29 artworks created by youth (aged 9–18) for the UK-based charity Never Such Innocence competition (2020– 2024). Their work highlights the risks of future nuclear war, while expressing aspirations for disarmament as a long-term solution.