Student Internationalism and the Global Cold War
Summary
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Student Internationalism and the Global Cold War by Mikuláš Pešta
This open access book tells the history of the International Union of Students, providing a fascinating account of a significant but understudied vehicle of internationalism amidst the Global Cold War. Focusing on three main themes; student internationalism, decolonization, and socialist transnationalism, it draws on a vast array of archival sources to explore cooperation and exchange between the Cold war’s three worlds, and the role of the organization in developing global socialism. Centring Prague as a key co-ordinating centre of Cold War internationalisms and with an international focus on student organisations, Pešta contextualises the legacy and impact of student internationalism in the twentieth century. Paying particular attention to the role of ‘Third World’ delegates who communicated and legitimised topics such as colonialism, racism, global inequality and national liberation, it shows how the language and agenda of the IUS changed over time, and how the organization struggled to find its place after the end of the Cold War in 1989. The ebook editions of this book are available open access under a CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 licence on bloomsburycollections.com. Open access was funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation.
In his meticulously researched book, Mikuláš Pešta takes us to socialist Prague, home to the International Union of Students and a global hub for student activismThis work is a long-awaited addition to the Cold War historiography and essential reading for anyone interested in student internationalism and the global Cold War. * Pia Koivunen, Senior Lecturer, University of Turku, Finland *
In 1967, the pro-West International Student Conference collapsed after revelations of CIA funding. Its rival, the International Union of Students, did not survive the later loss of Socialist bloc funding. Both had masters, but neither were puppets. Pasta masterfully documents the complexities of the IUS relationship with the Soviet bloc, as well as the organization’s global significance. * Karen M. Paget, author of Patriotic Betrayal *
In 1967, the pro-West International Student Conference collapsed after revelations of CIA funding. Its rival, the International Union of Students, did not survive the later loss of Socialist bloc funding. Both had masters, but neither were puppets. Pasta masterfully documents the complexities of the IUS relationship with the Soviet bloc, as well as the organization’s global significance. * Karen M. Paget, author of Patriotic Betrayal *
Mikuláš Pešta is a researcher at the Institute of Contemporary History, Czech Academy of Sciences, and Assistant Professor at the Institute of World History, Charles University, Prague, Czechia. His research focuses on the history of internationalism, student movement, East-South relations and political violence in the Cold War.
| SKU | Unavailable |
| ISBN 13 | 9781350425545 |
| ISBN 10 | 1350425540 |
| Title | Student Internationalism and the Global Cold War |
| Author | Mikuláš Pešta |
| Series | Histories Of Internationalism |
| Condition | Unavailable |
| Binding Type | Hardback |
| Publisher | Bloomsbury Publishing PLC |
| Year published | 2026-01-08 |
| Number of pages | 240 |
| Cover note | Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary. |
| Note | Unavailable |