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The Cold War's Afterlife

On this episode of American Prestige, part 1 of a discussion on post–Cold War malaise of the 1990s.

Daniel Bessner and Derek Davison

April 2, 2024

The Nation

US President Bill Clinton and Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin at the Stamford Hotel in Auckland, New Zealand, on September 12, 1999, during the first day of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting.(Stephen Jaffe / AFP via Getty Images)

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The Cold War's Afterlife, Pt. 1 w/ Penny Von Eschen | American Prestige
byThe Nation Magazine

On this episode of American Prestige, we chat with Penny Von Eschen, William R. Kennan Jr. professor of American Studies and professor of history at UVA, about her book Paradoxes of Nostalgia: Cold War Triumphalism and Global Disorder since 1989.

In this first part of the discussion, the group explores the affective dimension of nostalgia, how the “end of history” and “clash of civilizations” narratives influenced U.S. policy starting in the 1990s. We also discuss the post-Cold War malaise that took hold, and the proliferation of anti-government ideologies amidst a massive increase in military spending.

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On this episode of American Prestige, we chat with Penny Von Eschen, William R. Kennan Jr. Professor of American Studies and professor of history at UVA, about her book Paradoxes of Nostalgia: Cold War Triumphalism and Global Disorder since 1989.

In this first part of the discussion, the group explores the affective dimension of nostalgia, how the “end of history” and “clash of civilizations” narratives influenced US policy starting in the 1990s. We also discuss the post–Cold War malaise that took hold, and the proliferation of anti-government ideologies amidst a massive increase in military spending.

The Nation Podcasts

Here's where to find podcasts from The Nation. Political talk without the boring parts, featuring the writers, activists and artists who shape the news, from a progressive perspective.

Israel Ramps Up its Campaigns in Gaza and the West Bank w/ Mohammad Alsaafin | American Prestige
byThe Nation Magazine

On this episode of American Prestige, we once again speak with Mohammad Alsaafin, journalist at AJ+, this time to talk about where things stand in Gaza and the West Bank. We discuss the collapse of the January ceasefire, the blockade on Gaza aid, the push for outright ethnic cleansing in Gaza, what country would be willing to aid Israel in that effort, what it would mean for Hamas to disarm, Israel taking the same approach to Jenin and its environs in the West Bank as Gaza, and more.

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Daniel BessnerTwitterDaniel Bessner is an historian of US foreign relations, and cohost of American Prestige, a podcast on international affairs.


Derek DavisonDerek Davison is a writer and analyst specializing in international affairs and US foreign policy. He is the publisher of the Foreign Exchanges newsletter, cohost of the American Prestige podcast, and former editor of LobeLog.


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