New York University’s Center for the United States and the Cold War

Mission Statement

The Cold War was the defining ideological, cultural, economic and geopolitical struggle of the second half of the twentieth century. It dominated the political life not just of its superpower principals, but of countries throughout the world whose choices – domestic and foreign – were progressively narrowed by its terms, as indeed were those of the U.S. and the Soviet Union themselves. The Center for the United States and the Cold War at New York University seeks to create an international community of scholars who wish to re-examine the Cold War, its dominant paradigms, and its ongoing impact. The urgency of the task is clear, since even though the Cold War officially ended in 1991, it has continued to serve as the template for mobilization against foreign enemies, domestic repression, and a renewed national security state.

As a major research university that is a repository for League of Nations and United Nations records, New York University is an ideal site for scholars to study the construction of the Cold War and post-Cold War order in their global dimensions and to analyze the multiple connections between the Cold War and the globalized present. Based at the Tamiment Library, one of the most important special collections in the documenting the history of progressive politics, the Center is well situated to support scholarship that focuses on the relationship between the Cold War abroad and the struggle for progressive social change at home.

The Center is particularly interested in projects that connect foreign policy to domestic policies as they relate to the U.S. response to revolutionary nationalism, repression, resistance, internal security, labor relations, civil rights, civil liberties, race, class, and gender. The Center offers a small number of dissertation fellowships, post-doctoral fellowships, and travel grants. It sponsors a regular seminar series at which Fellows and invited guests can present their work in progress, as well lectures, symposia, and book talks. In addition, the Center expects to organize an annual conference on subjects relevant to our work.

Marilyn Young and Michael Nash
June 24, 2007

Updated 11/15/07