Key Themes in Cold War and Feminist Thought

Iron Curtain

A term coined by Winston Churchill to describe the division between the democratic West and communist East after WWII.

Winston Churchill's Iron Curtain Speech (1946)

A speech expressing concern about Soviet expansion, emphasizing Western unity against totalitarianism, and advocating for Anglo-American cooperation.

Soviet Expansion

The increase of Soviet influence and control in Eastern Europe following WWII.

Totalitarianism

A political system where the state recognizes no limits to its authority and seeks to regulate every aspect of public and private life.

Nikita Khrushchev's Report to the Communist Party Congress (1961)

A report framing the Cold War as a battle between capitalism and socialism, claiming socialism is gaining ground.

Peaceful Coexistence

The concept that capitalism and socialism can exist together without conflict, as proposed by Khrushchev.

Frantz Fanon, The Wretched of the Earth (1961)

A work arguing that violence is necessary to overthrow colonial rule and that decolonization is inherently violent.

Decolonization

The process of a state withdrawing from a former colony, often involving conflict and violence.

Colonialism

A practice where a country establishes control over a foreign territory, often exploiting its resources and people.

Societal Transformation

A complete change in the social structure and culture of a society, advocated by Fanon for true liberation.

Corruption

The act of dishonestly using power for personal gain, criticized by Fanon in both colonial rulers and postcolonial elites.

Revolutionary Ideals

The principles that inspire movements aimed at overthrowing oppressive systems, which Fanon argues are betrayed by postcolonial elites.

Economic Aid

Financial assistance given by one country to another, used by the Soviet Union to promote international communism.

Marshall Plan

A U.S. initiative providing aid to Western Europe after WWII to help rebuild economies and prevent the spread of communism.

NATO

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization, a military alliance formed to counter Soviet expansion.

Cultural Diplomacy

The use of cultural exchanges and initiatives to promote national interests and values, employed by the U.S. during the Cold War.

Violence in Decolonization

Fanon's assertion that violence is a necessary component for achieving independence from colonial rule.

Oppression

The systematic and prolonged mistreatment of individuals or groups, a foundation of colonialism according to Fanon.

Ideological Spread

The dissemination of a set of beliefs or ideologies, particularly communism, as warned against by Churchill.

Political Influence

The ability to affect the decision-making process of a government or organization, a method used in the Cold War context.

Fanon's Belief in Violence

Fanon believed violence was essential because it allowed colonized peoples to reclaim their humanity and break the oppressive cycle of domination.

Fanon's View on Nonviolence

Fanon would disagree with Gandhi's nonviolence, arguing that colonial power structures only understand and respond to force.

Simone de Beauvoir's Main Question

Asks: 'What is a woman?' and challenges traditional roles.

Women as the 'Other'

Women are seen as the 'Other' in a male-dominated world.

Social Construction of Femininity

Argues that femininity is socially constructed, not biologically determined.

Societal Definition of Women

Highlights how society defines women in relation to men, not as independent beings.

Historical and Cultural Conditioning

Suggests that women's limitations are due to historical and cultural conditioning, not nature.

De Beauvoir's Challenge to Women's Identity

De Beauvoir asks the question to challenge how women's identities have been passively constructed by men and to urge women to claim their own agency.

Feminine Mystique

Describes the 'feminine mystique'—a post-WWII ideology glorifying housewife life as a woman's only true fulfillment.

Critique of Media and Culture

Critiques how media and culture confined women to domestic roles.

Women's Feelings of Emptiness

Says many women felt empty and unfulfilled, lacking identity and purpose.

Call for Women's Education and Careers

Calls for women to pursue education, careers, and individuality.

Backlash Against Women's Independence

Saw the mystique as a backlash against women's independence gained during the war.

Friedan's View on Women's Fulfillment

Friedan believed the feminine mystique emerged after WWII because women were forced out of jobs and back into the home, as society tried to reestablish traditional gender norms.

Cold War - Iron Curtain

USSR created a dangerous division in Europe.

Cold War - Communism vs Capitalism

Capitalism is collapsing, communism is rising.

Anticolonialism

True liberation requires violent revolution.

Feminist Philosophy

Women must define themselves beyond societal roles.

Post-WWII Feminism

Culture trapped women in domestic roles post-WWII.