This thematic seminar complements the Modern World History lecture series by exploring modern history after 1945 through the lens of everyday life. It shifts the focus from traditional narratives of power and diplomacy to the lived experiences of ordinary people whose lives were shaped by, and in turn shaped, the ideological transformations of the second half of the twentieth century. Through two core books—Dear Unknown Friend: The Remarkable Correspondence between American and Soviet Women by Alexis Peri and Imagining the World From Behind the Iron Curtain: Youth and Global Sixties in Poland by Malgorzata Fidelis—the course focuses on interactions between ordinary Easterners and Westerners, both indirect and imagined. Throughout the semester, students will be encouraged to reflect on how grand historical processes were negotiated through interpersonal and transcultural dialogues. Weekly discussions will centre on close readings of the assigned book chapters, with student presentations further contextualizing both the differences and the similarities in Cold War lived experiences among ordinary people on both sides of the Iron Curtain.
- Teacher: Johana Kłusek