Cold War Studies at Harvard University
Encyclopedia
The stated function of the Harvard Project on Cold War Studies (HPWCS) is to further the progress of, and actively encourage the ongoing primary research of archival, Cold War
documents in the former Eastern-bloc nations. These documents have only become available since the collapse of the Soviet Union
in 1991, and rapidly increase in numbers year by year. This function, or focus, is then combined with the intent to build on and apply the knowledge gained from this process. The project also encourages scholars and students to apply insights gained from research to current discourses pertaining to areas of international and domestic politics.
(CWIHP), and the National Security Archive
, which have the lead sorting through these documents. Therefore, the Harvard project adds the resources of a its large and distinguished university to this substantial task.
Furthermore, this process allows the project to derive knowledge and lessons that are relevant to current policy, from the Cold War archives. The overarching theme of these lessons is realizing that direct military confrontation was avoided, despite the occurrence of critical situations and dilemmas. The results are recommendations for managing or avoiding post–Cold War conflicts, and for dealing with the poliferation of post war nuclear weapons. Deriving such lessons then becomes applicable to enhancing what is known about Cold War events and themes.
Scholars and student researchers are able to communicate their applicable insights through scholarly publications which this project sponsors. These publications include the Harvard Cold War Studies Book Series and the peer-reviewed Journal of Cold War Studies
.
publishes the books of this series.
A two stage review process resulted in contents consisting of original monogaraphs, and edited selected collections. An editing board consisting of 32 scholars, who are consisdered to be distinguished, were consulted when selecting books for this series. Board membership is international in scope with members from colleges and uinversities in Budapest, Moscow, Prague, Rome, Fontainebleau (France), Warsaw, and various universities throughout the United States.
In the following sections some of the books are given a brief overview:
World War II had ended. Forced migrations for millions occurred as they were forced to leave their homes, and be repatriated to their supposed countries of origins. This affected 12 million Germans, 3 million Poles and Ukrainians, and tens of thousands of Hungarians. The book "...explores ways ethnic cleansing helped sustain Communist rule and was sustained by it. It demonstrates how ethnic cleansing figured in the Cold War." ... "But the forced transfers occurred with the consent of the US and British governments."
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
documents in the former Eastern-bloc nations. These documents have only become available since the collapse of the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
in 1991, and rapidly increase in numbers year by year. This function, or focus, is then combined with the intent to build on and apply the knowledge gained from this process. The project also encourages scholars and students to apply insights gained from research to current discourses pertaining to areas of international and domestic politics.
Overview
Another component of this focus is helping to sort through these documents with the Cold War International History ProjectCold War International History Project
The Cold War International History Project is part of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. The Project was founded in 1991 with the support of the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation and is located in Washington D.C....
(CWIHP), and the National Security Archive
National Security Archive
The National Security Archive is a 501 non-governmental, non-profit research and archival institution located in the George Washington University in Washington, D.C.. Founded in 1985 by Scott Armstrong, it archives and publishes declassified U.S. government files concerning selected topics of US...
, which have the lead sorting through these documents. Therefore, the Harvard project adds the resources of a its large and distinguished university to this substantial task.
Furthermore, this process allows the project to derive knowledge and lessons that are relevant to current policy, from the Cold War archives. The overarching theme of these lessons is realizing that direct military confrontation was avoided, despite the occurrence of critical situations and dilemmas. The results are recommendations for managing or avoiding post–Cold War conflicts, and for dealing with the poliferation of post war nuclear weapons. Deriving such lessons then becomes applicable to enhancing what is known about Cold War events and themes.
Scholars and student researchers are able to communicate their applicable insights through scholarly publications which this project sponsors. These publications include the Harvard Cold War Studies Book Series and the peer-reviewed Journal of Cold War Studies
Journal of Cold War Studies
The Journal of Cold War Studies is a peer-reviewed academic journal on the history of the Cold War. It was established in 1999 and is published by MIT Press for the Harvard Project on Cold War Studies. The journal is issued also under the auspices of the Davis Center for Russian Studies...
.
Disseminating knowledge
Conduits for disseminating knowledge derived from these efforts are accessible declassified documents via the internet, the Ethnic Conflict and Nationalist Unrest project, the nuclear weapons history exhibit (also available online), highlighting cold war subject areas (also available online), and the aforementioned Journal of Cold War Studies. Another conduit is the aforementioned Harvard Cold War Studies Book Series consisting of eight volumes as of 2006, while several more are being edited or are in production (2006).Book Series
The book series is in keeping with the goals of this project by disseminating knowledge gained from studying primary documents, including first hand accounts, and reviewing cold war events and themes from different perspectives, including hindsight. With the book series archival evidence is brought forward to the post-cold-war perspective. The evidence is applied to determine the validity of theoretical concepts composed during the cold war as a result of events during that time period. Rowman & LittlefieldRowman & Littlefield
Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group is an independent publishing house founded in 1949. Under several imprints, the company offers scholarly books and journals for the academic market, as well as trade books. The company also owns a book distributor, National Book Network...
publishes the books of this series.
A two stage review process resulted in contents consisting of original monogaraphs, and edited selected collections. An editing board consisting of 32 scholars, who are consisdered to be distinguished, were consulted when selecting books for this series. Board membership is international in scope with members from colleges and uinversities in Budapest, Moscow, Prague, Rome, Fontainebleau (France), Warsaw, and various universities throughout the United States.
In the following sections some of the books are given a brief overview:
Redrawing nations
Redrawing Nations: Ethnic Cleansing in East-Central Europe, 1944-1948World War II had ended. Forced migrations for millions occurred as they were forced to leave their homes, and be repatriated to their supposed countries of origins. This affected 12 million Germans, 3 million Poles and Ukrainians, and tens of thousands of Hungarians. The book "...explores ways ethnic cleansing helped sustain Communist rule and was sustained by it. It demonstrates how ethnic cleansing figured in the Cold War." ... "But the forced transfers occurred with the consent of the US and British governments."
External links
- US Government Cold War related sites
- Book review. The Struggle for the Soul of a Nation: Czech Culture and the Rise of Communism. R. Legvold. Foreign AffairsForeign AffairsForeign Affairs is an American magazine and website on international relations and U.S. foreign policy published since 1922 by the Council on Foreign Relations six times annually...
. September/October 2004 issue.