[Exploration] Winning Women’s Hearts and Minds

Throughout the Cold War, citizens behind the Iron Curtain had limited knowledge of U.S. life and culture. Amerika, a glossy Russian-language magazine similar to Life, provided a rare exception. Produced by the United States Information Agency (USIA), America’s first peacetime propaganda organization, Amerika was used to influence the Russian public and convince women in particular that an American-style consumer culture and conservative gender norms could better their lives.

Join historian (and McMaster alumna) Dr. Diana Cucuz as she discusses how during the postwar period, USIA officials used idealized images of American women as happy, fulfilled, and feminine wives, mothers, and homemakers to showcase a "better" way of life to Russian women, and how these representations illustrate the important intersections between foreign and domestic politics, and culture and gender. 

Ten free copies of Dr. Cucuz’ book, Winning Women’s Hearts and Minds: Selling Cold War Culture in the US and the USSR, will be given away after the webinar to 10 lucky winners.

This Exploration webinar series is proudly supported by: