“Turning Points in the Cold War”: The 2009 SHAFR Summer Institute at the University of Wisconsin-Madison

Date:  June 29 - July 3, 2009 Time:  9:00 AM - 12:00 PM Location:  various locations Email:  suri@wisc.edu Web Address:  http://internationalstrategicstudies.wordpress.com/2009-shafr/ Contact:  Jeremi Suri Sponsor:  Center for World Affairs and the Global Economy (WAGE), Society for Historians of American Foreign Relations (SHAFR), Wisconsin Veterans Museum, and the UW Department of History

Fredrik Logevall of Cornell University and Jeremi Suri of the University of Wisconsin-Madison will co-direct the Institute, titled “Turning Points in the Cold War.” The Cold War dominated international affairs in the second half of the 20th century, and the scholarly literature on various aspects of the struggle is large and growing larger. Here the focus will be on turning points, on those moments when the nature of the struggle shifted (or appeared to shift) in an important way.  The approach will be global, with due attention given to decision-making not only in Washington and Moscow but in other world capitals as well.  Broader subjects to be addressed will include: structure vs. human agency in Cold War studies; the role of domestic politics in foreign-policy-making; the influence of ideas and culture; and the impact of the nuclear revolution.

All participants will be required to read a significant amount of relevant secondary literature, before and during the Institute.  Substantial time will be devoted to discussion of that literature, broader historiographical debates, and selected primary sources. Students who have ongoing research projects related to the seminar’s focus will be mentored, as appropriate, by the host faculty.  Those who are interested in beginning research on one of the seminar’s themes will be encouraged and guided by the host faculty in choice of topic, research design, and writing plans.

The deadline for applications is February 1, 2009.  Applicants should submit a one-page letter detailing their interest and explaining how participation would benefit their careers. Submit materials (and pose any questions) to Jeremi Suri at suri@wisc.edu. Decisions about acceptances will be distributed in February.

The Institute will run from Monday, June 29 to midday on Friday, July 3. It will follow on the heels of the 2009 SHAFR Annual Meeting, to be held in Falls Church, VA, on June 25-27.

The Institute will make use of facilities at the Wisconsin Veterans Museum, as well as the campus of the University of Wisconsin-Madison.