What we’re about
We share perspectives on books and topics in History and Foreign Affairs in a friendly, small group roundtable discussion format. Our focus is on interesting eras, significant events, transformative figures, and trends across cultures and time. By discussing how Geography, Economics and Trade, Technology, Politics, and Culture have shaped History, we can better understand modern world events and current geopolitical conflicts.
If you have a passion for discussing topics in History and Foreign Affairs, you will enjoy being a part of our community.
Upcoming events
3
•OnlineHistory Discussion: The Bretton Woods System - the IMF and World Bank
OnlineForty-four countries met at Bretton Woods, NH in 1944 to establish a new international financial order for the post-WW II era. At that conference, they created the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank.
Their goals were to stimulate global recovery, prevent future economic instability, and create a framework for international trade and investments. We'll discuss the formation of these two institutions and their impact on the global economy.
Suggested Reading
Council on Foreign Relations: Excerpt: The Battle of Bretton Woods
80 Years Since the Bretton Woods Conference6 attendees
•OnlineBook Discussion: Red Scare: Blacklists, McCarthyism & Modern America- Clay Risen
OnlineAward-winning history writer and journalist Clay Risen tells the story of McCarthyism and the Red Scare—the anti-Communist witch hunt that gripped America in political hysteria during the decade following WW II. McCarthyism arose amid the conflict between social conservatives and New Deal progressives, and the onset of the Cold War.
An urgent, accessible, and important history, Red Scare reveals an all-too-familiar pattern of illiberal conspiracy-mongering and political and cultural backlash that speaks directly to the antagonism and divisiveness of our contemporary moment.
Red Scare: Blacklists, McCarthyism, and the Making of Modern America by Clay Risen is available in all formats at public libraries and bookstores. (379 pp)11 attendees
•OnlineBook Discussion: Executing the Rosenbergs by Lori Clune
OnlineThe 1953 execution of Julius and Etlhel Rosenberg for espionage-related crimes defined the Cold War and horrified the world. Clune provides insights into the views of Truman, Eisenhower, Roy Cohn, Judge Kaufman, Einstein and Pope Pius XII, as well as the international perspective.
The trial raised questions about the legal process, Antisemistism, Human Rights, and whether the couple deserved blame for the Korean War at the same time that the US government was trying to appear tough on Communism while also trying to appear more humane than the Soviets as the two superpowers vied for influence during their Cold War rivalry.
Executing the Rosenbergs: Death and Diplomacy in a Cold War World by Lori Clune (288 pp) is available in all formats at public libraries and bookstores.6 attendees
Past events
153
