Cold War Constructions

The end of the Cold War inspired a has wave of exciting new scholarship about the central international struggle in the decades following World War II. Dissatisfied with traditional diplomatic and military interpretations, historians have begun to investigate the crucial role that political culture played in shaping global conflicts. Cold War Constructions contributes to this reappraisal by illuminating the political and cultural assumptions underlying U.S. policies from the end of World War II to the mid-1960s. How were Cold War ideas and events shaped by American culture? How were they explained and promoted at home and around the world? And how did they vary from one geographical context to another? These are among the questions addressed in this collection of original essays.

Each contributor focuses on a specific site of Cold War contestation -- Southeast Asia, India, Europe, Africa, Iran, Guatemala, and Cuba -- and analyzes the impact of domestic political culture on that particular conflict. Cultural attitudes, practices, and values are examined throug

Christian G. Appy was an associate professor of history at MIT. He is now a freelance writer Mark Bradley is associate professor of history at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee James T. Fisher is professor of history and theological studies at Saint Louis University John Foran is professor of sociology at the University of California, Santa Barbara Kevin Gaines teaches history and African American studies at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor Van Gosse was formerly Executive Director of the Center for Democracy in the Americas, and is currently Organizing Director of Peace Action Christina Klein is assistant professor of literature at MIT Jonathan Nashel is assistant professor of history at Indiana University South Bend Andrew J. Rotter is professor of history at Colgate University Penny M. Von Eschen teaches history and African American studies at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor Wendy Wall is assistant professor of history at Duke University