Death Before Sentencing
Making a case for substantial prison reform, this week's review examines the lack of accountability American county and local jail systems take for the avoidable deaths of detainees.
Posted on in Review of the Week
The Whole World Was Watching
With the Olympics in full swing, we take a trip back to the global politics of sporting events during the Cold War
Posted on July 26, 2021 in Review of the Week
The Whole World Was Watching: Sport in the Cold War
ed. by Robert Edelman and Christopher Young Stanford, 2020
334p index, 9781503610187 $65.00, 9781503611016
Based on a multiyear, international research project, this exhaustively researched collection is grounded in scholarly literature using extensive and varied materials, including new archival and primary sources. Organized in five parts covering the US, the Soviet Union, the German Democratic Republic, Asia, and postcolonial interactions, this volume discusses games, sports, athletes, and teams throughout the Cold War. A significant strength is the book’s breadth and depth, ensuring that multiple perspectives are represented while examining not only how governments used sports for international and domestic political ends, but also how citizens and fans interpreted games during the Cold War. Providing a more comprehensive analysis than the standard considerations of the US-USSR rivalry or the Olympics, this book fills the gap for a “go-to” text on the role of sports in the Cold War. This is especially useful for complicating well-known stories of standout Cold War sporting moments (like the excellent chapter on German figure skater Katarina Witt) and introducing lesser-known events and actors. This book is highly recommended for anyone interested in the history, sport history, or culture of the Cold War.
Summing Up: Highly recommended. All readership levels.
Reviewer: A. Curtis, Lake Erie College
Subject: Social & Behavioral Sciences – History, Geography & Area Studies
Choice Issue: Jun 2020
Enjoy this week’s review? Check out more reviews of related titles:
- Understanding the Olympics
- Gliding for Gold: The Physics of Winter Sports
- Spaceflight in the Shuttle Era and Beyond: Redefining Humanity’s Purpose in Space
Related Posts
-
-
Making the MexiRican City
To commemorate National Hispanic Heritage Month, this week's review analyzes the community-building and activist practices Mexican and Puerto Rican migrants employed in 20th-century Michigan.
Posted on in Review of the Week
-
Understanding and Teaching Contemporary US History Since Reagan
This week's review offers a roadmap for teaching contemporary US history, providing instructors with tips to tackle recent divisive topics and engage students with primary sources.
Posted on in Review of the Week
-
Laboring for Justice
Researching the experiences of day laborers in Denver, Colorado, this week's review examines wage theft and nefarious labor practices that reflect broader systemic labor issues in the US.
Posted on in Review of the Week