Conflict Resolution and the Cold War - by Tobias Hochscherf & Gintaras Aleknonis (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

While existing publications on the Cold War tend to characterise this period exclusively in terms of conflict or on the basis of irreconcilable ideological differences, this book - through a number of fascinating international case studies - shows that there were also many media-related examples of attempts for reconciliation on both sides of the Iron Curtain.

Scholars of media history, more often than not, have looked at the role of media in times of conflict, war, crises, social and political upheaval. Yet, media such as film, radio and television have also played a decisive role in processes of conflict resolution. As such, media in one way or another affected nation building processes, the fight for civil rights, equality, the reconciliation of former enemies, the democratisation of totalitarian states and peacekeeping missions around the world. This was also true during the Cold War which could be considered the longest-simmering conflict of the 20th century with far-reaching consequences that could be felt to this day.

Arguing that cultural politics were a vital part of the Cold War experience, Conflict Resolution and the Cold War: Media Encounters across the Iron Curtain brings together international scholars with expertise in different media to take a closer look at this often-overlooked role media played in conflict resolution and initiatives for reconciliation. Owing to the very few, if any, opportunities to meet people from the other side of the political divide in person, media often provided an important sphere where the East and the West could learn from one another. Examples include BBC broadcasts, films such as The Charterhouse of Parma(1948), television networks, television programs such as Doctor Who, and Danish journalists returning from exile in London and Stockholm, among others.

Review Quotes

Conflict Resolution and the Cold War: Media Encounters across the Iron Curtainoffers a unique perspective on how media played a role in reconciliation during the Cold War. Through engaging international case studies, the book reveals how film, radio and television were not only tools of conflict and propaganda, but also vital platforms for dialogue, peacebuilding and cultural exchange, helping to bridge divides and promote peace. By shedding new light on these complex interactions, the book offers fresh insights into this often-overlooked cultural aspect of Cold War history. It is a must-read for scholars and enthusiasts of media history and Cold War studies.
Rolf Werenskjold, Professor of Media Studies, Volda University College, Norway

Drawing on the work of a first-class team of international scholars, this fascinating edited collection locates the media at the centre of Cold War cultural politics. Using an array of approaches and perspectives from across Europe and North America, the role of the media in conflict resolution is explored, analysed and critiqued, resulting in a volume that should be on the shelves of researchers in media studies, politics and history. From Doctor Who to Czech student films and everything in between, this impressive collection provides a fresh and novel perspective on the Cold War.
Jamie Medhurst, Professor of Film and Media, Aberystwyth University, UK

This pioneering collection mobilises international scholarship on the longest-running conflict of the 20th century to demonstrate how the function of media stretches far beyond simple representation to form a core part of political and diplomatic processes. Based on original archival sources, the book illustrates how media may become a powerful tool for peace building and reconciliation. While focusing on journalism, cinema and broadcasting, the collection covers both mainstream and traditionally overlooked forms of peripheral media as well considering how these productions reached their (often transnational) audiences. The Cold War has never been more relevant and this book showcases the many lessons media scholars, producers, historians and politicians may learn from it.
Ciara Chambers, Senior Lecturer in Film & Screen Media, University College Cork, Ireland

About the Author

Tobias Hochscherf is Professor in Film, Radio and Television at the University of Applied Sciences in Kiel, Germany. He is author of The Continental Connection: German-speaking Émigrés and British Cinema, 1927-45 (2011) and co-author of Beyond the Boundaries: Contemporary Danish Television Drama (2017).

Gintaras Aleknonis is Partnership Professor at the Faculty of Communication, Vilnius University, Lithuania. He is the author of The New Censorship (2011) and two other books on histories of Lithuanian Radio and Television: Lithuanian Radio: One Day and 80 Years (2006) and Lithuanian Television: The Colours and the Shadows of the Screen (2007).