About

This profile was current as of 2019 when she was part of the on-campus Kellogg community.

Mackenzie Nolan is currently working with Professor Michael Desch to research both historic and modern nuclear weapons policy within the United States. Specifically, Nolan is looking at when different United States’ government officials considered the use of nuclear weapons. For her senior thesis, Nolan is focusing on international and U.S. sanctions policy. She is investigating the effect of the re-imposition of sanctions on Iran as well as under what conditions sanctions can serve as a tool for nuclear disarmament in the Middle East and worldwide. 

On campus, Nolan is a member of the International Security Studies Certificate program which is part of the Notre Dame International Security Center. Within the program, Nolan has had many opportunities for experiential learning, for example, by visiting a Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center in California and by attending a nuclear disarmament conference at the Vatican. More generally, Nolan helps lead Notre Dame’s Women in International Security (WIIS) chapter which provides educational and professional development to young professionals in the field of international security and peace. 

Thesis Title: Too Much Vinegar, Not Enough Honey: Bittersweet Sanctions Policy

Thesis Adviser: George Lopez

Major(s)
Arabic Studies
Political Science
Minor(s)
Business Economics
Current Research

Research Interests
My research interests are in international security with a regional focus on the Middle East and U.S. foreign policy.

Current Research
My current research studies the cases in which the U.S. considered the use of nuclear weapons. As well as, my thesis focuses on economic sanctions policy and the use of sanctions to prohibit the proliferation of nuclear weapons.