Auerbach Lecture | 07.06.2021 | 18 Uhr
Petra Goedde (History, Philadelphia): On Culture and International Relations: Seven Ways of Seeing the Cold War in a New Light
Moderation: Anke Ortlepp (North American History, Cologne), Fabian Klose (History, Cologne)
Abstract
Great power diplomacy and geopolitical conflicts have long dominated the history of international relations. The traditional history of the Cold War was no different, with such topics as the battles over Berlin, the Korean and Vietnam Wars, the Cuban Missile Crisis, 1970 a détente, the NATO Double-Track Decision, and Reagan’s Strategic Defense Initiative dominating the historical narration of the Cold War. Yet the rise of the cultural turn in historiography has begun to broaden the meaning of international relations in general and the Cold War in particular. This lecture explores the ways in which a cultural approach alters our understanding of the Cold War. It focuses on seven ways in which people and processes outside the realm of high-power politics influenced the way the Cold War unfolded and argues that cultural context is crucial to understanding the extent and limits of the Cold War in global history.
The lecture will take place virtually via Zoom. Guests are very welcome!