Arms control regime in a multipolar international system: The example of the i̇ntermediate-range nuclear forces treaty

This thesis examines the arms control regime in a multipolar international system through a power-based approach, using the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty as a case study. The central question addressed in this study is: "How has the transformation of the international system affected the arms control regime?" The main argument posited in the research is that the multipolarization of the international system has adversely affected and weakened the arms control regime. In this context, the concept of regime and the theorization of the regime concept will first be examined. Subsequently, the formation and progression of the arms control regime during the Cold War period, dominated by a bipolar international system, will be analyzed. Finally, the arms control regime will be discussed in both the unipolar system, where the United States was the hegemon in the post-Cold War period, and in the multipolar international system. The analysis will be conducted through the lens of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, which is considered a cornerstone of the arms control regime.