The Cambridge History of America and the World: Volume 4, 1945 to the Present

This volume examines the heights of American global power in the mid-twentieth century and the challenges to that power since.

David C. Engerman (Edited by), Max Paul Friedman (Edited by), Melani McAlister (Edited by)

9781108419277, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 3 March 2022

810 pages
23.6 x 15.9 x 4.1 cm, 1.41 kg

'remarkable … this capacious volume enables the reader to absorb the latest scholarship on a multitude of topics within a domain that is becoming more multitudinous more swiftly and with more far-reaching analytic consequences than any other subfield of American history … Hence my advice: read it now.' David A. Hollinger, H-Diplo

The fourth volume of The Cambridge History of America and the World examines the heights of American global power in the mid-twentieth century and how challenges from at home and abroad altered the United States and its role in the world. The second half of the twentieth century marked the pinnacle of American global power in economic, political, and cultural terms, but even as it reached such heights, the United States quickly faced new challenges to its power, originating both domestically and internationally. Highlighting cutting-edge ideas from scholars from all over the world, this volume anatomizes American power as well as the counters and alternatives to 'the American empire.' Topics include US economic and military power, American culture overseas, human rights and humanitarianism, third-world internationalism, immigration, communications technology, and the Anthropocene.

List of Figures
List of Maps
List of Contributors to Volume IV
General Introduction: What is America and the World? Mark Philip Bradley
Introduction to Volume IV David C. Engerman, Max Paul Friedman and Melani McAlister
Part I. Ordering a World of States: 1. Global Capitalist Infrastructure and US Power Vanessa Ogle
2. Overseas Bases and the Expansion of US Military Presence Gretchen Heefner
3. The Consolidation of the Nuclear Age Michael D. Gordin
4. American Knowledge of the World Nick Dirks and Nils Gilman
5. The American Construction of the Communist Threat Kenneth Osgood
6. The Fractured World of the Cold War Mark Atwood Lawrence
7. The US and the United Nations System David Bosco
8. American Development Aid, Decolonization, and the Cold War Corinna Unger
9. Decolonization and US Intervention in Asia Christopher Goscha
Part II. Challenging a World of States: 10. US Foreign Policy and the End of Development Brad Simpson
11. Oil and the Resource Curse Chris Dietrich
12. US Mass Culture and Consumption in Global Context Petra Goedde
13. Imperial Visions of the World Penny Von Eschen
14. Human Rights Barbara Keys
15. Compassion and Humanitarianism in International Relations Michael Barnett
16. Third World Internationalism and the Global Color Line Charisse Burden-Stelly and Gerald Horne
17. Empire of Sex: The Queering of US Geopolitics Julio Capó, Jr.
18. Migration, War, and the Transformation of the US Population Maddalena Marinari
19. Christian and Muslim Transnational Networks Zareena Grewal
20. Native Americans, Indigenity, and US Foreign Policy Paul Rosier
21. Environment, Climate, and Global Disorder Stephen Macekura
22. Reconfiguration of Superpower Relations Jussi M. Hanhimäki
Part III. New World Disorder?: 23. Soviet Collapse and Its Global Impact Fritz Bartel
24. Neoliberalism as a Form of US Power Daniel Sargent
25. The US Construction of 'Islam' as Ally and Enemy on the Global Stage Deepa Kumar
26. Technology and Networks of Communication Stephanie Schulte
27. Humanitarian Intervention and US Power Rajan Menon
28. Refugees, Statelessness, and the Disordering of Citizenship Stephen R. Porter
29. Liberty, Security, and America's War on Terror Karen J. Greenberg
30. The Global Wars on Terror Aaron O'Connell
31. America and the World in the Anthropocene Joshua Howe
Index.

Subject Areas: Diplomacy [JPSD], 20th century history: c 1900 to c 2000 [HBLW], History of the Americas [HBJK]