Rethinking Cooperation in Cold War Europe
Difficult Friendships across the 'Nylon Curtain'
- Open Access
Rethinking Cooperation in Cold War Europe
Difficult Friendships across the 'Nylon Curtain'
- Open Access
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Description
Studies of post-war Europe have conventionally stressed the Cold War's ideological divisions and competing economic models. This open access book brings together historians from across Europe to explore the ways in which these political differences were circumvented, subverted, or overcome, whether in the spirit of international collaboration, solidarity or for more pragmatic reasons of national interest.
Rethinking Cooperation in Cold War Europe examines the systemic divide not as an Iron Curtain but – borrowing the metaphor of the Hungarian historian György Péteri, as a 'Nylon Curtain' – a present and yet surmountable partition that was frequently breached in a variety of ways by ordinary citizens, artists, scientists, politicians, and other historical actors.
From environmental collaboration and medical ethics to academic exchanges and peace activism, this book brings to life a complex series of ambiguous allegiances and complicated collaborations. For all of the difficulties, the mistrust, the paranoia, and the ulterior motives, the contributors here demonstrate the myriad ways in which 'Bloc thinking' could be and often was overcome in the service of common interests and shared visions. With Europe today facing an array of military and political challenges unprecedented in the post-war era, the book offers a wide-ranging and timely overview of the ways in which channels of communication can be kept open even at times of heightened geopolitical tensions.
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 European Research Council.
Table of Contents
Part 1 - Cooperation and Collaboration
1. The Cultural and Academic Relations between Romania, West-Germany and East-Germany, 1965-1975 Irinia Matei (University of Bucharest, Romania)
2. The United States and Cross-European Collaboration in the World Federation of Neurology Kate Docking (University of Hamburg, Germany)
3. 'Nylon Curtain' by the Activities of Protection Professionals Melinda Harlov-Csortán (Apor Vilmos Catholic College, Hungary)
4. A Tuberculosis-Free Future: Vordingborg Sanatoriumand the Children of Europe James Farley (University of Hamburg, Germany)
5. The Austrian Cultural Magazine 'Pannonia': East-West-Cooperation and Debates on Central Europe, 1973-1990 Oliver Sterchi (University of Basel, Switzerland)
Part 2 - Confluence and Influence
6. 'Keeping the pot simmering': Great Britain's Policy towards Eastern Europe, 1947-1959 Vasil Paraskevov (Konstantin Preslavsky University, Bulgaria)
7. Through the 'Nylon Curtain': The Phenomenon of Methodological Similarities between Polish Historians and French Milieu of Annales (1945-1989) Patryk Pleskot (Rzeszów University, Poland)
8. Drafting Post-War Deontology Across the Ideological Divide: The Polish Medical Ethicist TadeuszKielanowski, 1945-1967 Ulf Schmidt (University of Hamburg, Germany)
9. The Life and Times of Georgi Lozanov's Suggestopedia: Unconventional Science across the Berlin Wall Veronika Stoyanova (University of Kent, UK)
10. The Nootropic Concept: Psychopharmaceutical Enhancement Trials Across the 'Nylon Curtain' David Peace (University of Hamburg, Germany)
Part 3 - Peace and Solidarity
11. 'Mutual Longing for Peace': How American Women Peace Activists Transgressed Cold War Borders, 1961-1990 Lara Track (University of Heidelberg, Germany)
12. The Road to the West: The First international Contacts of Ukrainian Environmental Activists during the Late Perestroika Period Tetiana Perga (National Academy of Sciences, Ukraine)
13. Prestige, Prizes, and Paranoia: East German and British Encounters with the International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War Will Studdert (University of Hamburg, Germany)
14. Toward a Peaceful, Democratic and Reunified Europe: The Helsinki Citizens' Assembly and the Creation of Post-Cold War Europe Stephanie Freeman (Mississippi State University, USA)
Epilogue Ulf Schmidt and Will Studdert (both University of Hamburg, Germany)
Bibliography
Index
Product details
| Published | Sep 17 2026 |
|---|---|
| Format | Hardback |
| Edition | 1st |
| Extent | 288 |
| ISBN | 9781350436992 |
| Imprint | Bloomsbury Academic |
| Illustrations | 20 bw illus |
| Dimensions | 234 x 156 mm |
| Publisher | Bloomsbury Publishing |
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