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Cover image of Gender and the Long Postwar
Cover image of Gender and the Long Postwar
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Gender and the Long Postwar

The United States and the Two Germanys, 1945–1989

edited by Karen Hagemann and Sonya Michel

Publication Date

How gender factored into politics and society in the United States and East and West Germany in the aftermath of World War II.

Gender and the Long Postwar examines gender politics during the post–World War II period and the Cold War in the United States and East and West Germany. The authors show how disruptions of older political and social patterns, exposure to new cultures, population shifts, and the rise of consumerism affected gender roles and identities. Comparing all three countries, chapters analyze the ways that gender figured into relations between victor and vanquished and shaped...

How gender factored into politics and society in the United States and East and West Germany in the aftermath of World War II.

Gender and the Long Postwar examines gender politics during the post–World War II period and the Cold War in the United States and East and West Germany. The authors show how disruptions of older political and social patterns, exposure to new cultures, population shifts, and the rise of consumerism affected gender roles and identities. Comparing all three countries, chapters analyze the ways that gender figured into relations between victor and vanquished and shaped everyday life in both the Western and Soviet blocs. Topics include the gendering of the immediate aftermath of war; the military, politics, and changing masculinities in postwar societies; policies to restore the gender order and foster marriage and family; demobilization and the development of postwar welfare states; and debates over sexuality (gay and straight).

Reviews

Reviews

The editors' extremely engaging introduction elucidates key themes raised in the book and draws apt connections between the essays, providing readers with a useful framework of comparisons and contrasts to ponder across the volume's diverse chapters. Highly recommended.

An impressive collection on an important subject. The contributions significantly revise our understanding of postwar gender conceptualizations in the United States and both Germanies.

Clearly demonstrates that a gender history approach can lead to a new perspective on the postwar history as a whole.

Author Bios
Featured Contributor

Karen Hagemann

Karen Hagemann is the James G. Kenan Distinguished Professor of History at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Featured Contributor

Sonya Michel

Sonya Michel is a professor of history at the University of Maryland, College Park, and a senior scholar at the Wilson Center.