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Podcast: New Books in Popular Culture
Episode: He May Be a Communist!
Description: We are back for a third season! The Russian invasion of Ukraine reminded us all that āeverything old is new againā and that includes Cold War tensions, nuclear fears, and paranoia about āunseen enemies.ā With our organizing principle of the Cold War and Hollywood representation, we begin with the Red Scare. We discussĀ Invasion of the Body SnatchersĀ (1956),Ā The Manchurian CandidateĀ (1962), andĀ The Way We WereĀ (1973). Together these films reveal how the Red Scare cast a wide and enduring shadow on our culture. We highlight three themes. First, Cold War paranoia was a bipartisan issue. Second, the Korean War cast doubt on...