American Hegemony and the Postwar Reconstruction of Science in Europe (Transformations: Studies in the History of Science and Technology)

In 1945, the United States was not only the strongest economic and military power in the world; it was also the world's leader in science and technology. In American Hegemony and the Postwar Reconstruction of Science in Europe, John Krige describes the efforts of influential figures in the United States to model postwar scientific practices and institutions in Western Europe on those in America. They mobilized political and financial support to promote not just America's scientific and technological agendas in Western Europe but its Cold War political and ideological agendas as well.Drawing on the work of diplomatic and cultural historians, Krige argues that this attempt at scientific dominance by the United States can be seen as a form of "consensual hegemony," involving the collaboration of influential local elites who shared American values. He uses this notion to analyze a series of case studies that describe how the U.S. administration, senior officers in the Rockefeller and Ford Foundations, the NATO Science Committee, and influential members of the scientific establishment--notably Isidor I. Rabi of Columbia University and Vannevar Bush of MIT--tried to Americanize scientific practices in such fields as physics, molecular biology, and operations research. He details U.S. support for institutions including CERN, the Niels Bohr Institute, the French CNRS and its laboratories at Gif near Paris, and the never-established "European MIT." Krige's study shows how consensual hegemony in science not only served the interests of postwar European reconstruction but became another way of maintaining American leadership and "making the world safe for democracy." Annotation In 1945, The United States Was Not Only The Strongest Economic And Military Power Inthe World; It Was Also The World's Leader In Science And Technology. In American Hegemony And Thepostwar Reconstruction Of Science In Europe, John Krige Describes The Efforts Of Influential Figuresin The United States To Model Postwar Scientific Practices And Institutions In Western Europe Onthose In America. They Mobilized Political And Financial Support To Promote Not Just America'sscientific And Technological Agendas In Western Europe But Its Cold War Political And Ideologicalagendas As Well.drawing On The Work Of Diplomatic And Cultural Historians, Krige Argues That Thisattempt At Scientific Dominance By The United States Can Be Seen As A Form Of Consensual Hegemony,involving The Collaboration Of Influential Local Elites Who Shared American Values. He Uses Thisnotion To Analyze A Series Of Case Studies That Describe How The U.s. Administration, Seniorofficers In The Rockefeller And Ford Foundations, The Nato Science Committee, And Influentialmembers Of The Scientific Establishment--notably Isidor I. Rabi Of Columbia University And Vannevarbush Of Mit--tried To Americanize Scientific Practices In Such Fields As Physics, Molecular Biology,and Operations Research. He Details U.s. Support For Institutions Including Cern, The Niels Bohrinstitute, The French Cnrs And Its Laboratories At Gif Near Paris, And The Never-establishedeuropean Mit. Krige's Study Shows How Consensual Hegemony In Science Not Only Served The Interestsof Postwar European Reconstruction But Became Another Way Of Maintaining American Leadership Andmaking The World Safe For Democracy. Basic Science And The Coproduction Of American Hegemony -- Science And The Marshall Plan -- The Place Of Cern In U.s. Science And Foreign Policy -- The Rockefeller Foundation In Postwar France : The Grant To The Cnrs -- The Rockefeller Foundation Confronts Communism In Europe And Anti-communism At Home : The Case Of Boris Ephrussi -- The Ford Foundation, Physics, And The Intellectural Cold War In Europe -- Providing Trained Manpower For Freedom : Nato, The Ford Foundation, And Mit -- Carrying American Ideas To The Unconverted : Philip Morse's Promotion Of Operations Research In Nato -- Concluding Relfections : Hegemony And Americanization. John Krige. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [343]-363) And Index. In 1945, the United States was not only the strongest economic and military power in the world; it was also the world's leader in science and technology. In American Hegemony and the Postwar Reconstruction of Science in Europe , John Krige describes the efforts of influential figures in the United States to model postwar scientific practices and institutions in Western Europe on those in America. They mobilized political and financial support to promote not just America's scientific and technological agendas in Western Europe but its Cold War political and ideological agendas as well. Drawing on the work of diplomatic and cultural historians, Krige argues that this attempt at scientific dominance by the United States can be seen as a form of "consensual hegemony," involving the collaboration of influential local elites who shared American values. He uses this notion to analyze a series of case studies that describe how the U.S. administration, senior officers in the Rockefeller and Ford Foundations, the NATO Science Committee, and influential members of the scientific establishmentnotably Isidor I. Rabi of Columbia University and Vannevar Bush of MITtried to Americanize scientific practices in such fields as physics, molecular biology, and operations research. He details U.S. support for institutions including CERN, the Niels Bohr Institute, the French CNRS and its laboratories at Gif near Paris, and the never-established "European MIT." Krige's study shows how consensual hegemony in science not only served the interests of postwar European reconstruction but became another way of maintaining American leadership and "making the world safe for democracy." Annotation In 1945, the United States was not only the strongest economic and military power inthe world; it was also the world's leader in science and technology. In American Hegemony and thePostwar Reconstruction of Science in Europe, John Krige describes the efforts of influential figuresin the United States to model postwar scientific practices and institutions in Western Europe onthose in America. They mobilized political and financial support to promote not just America'sscientific and technological agendas in Western Europe but its Cold War political and ideologicalagendas as well. Drawing on the work of diplomatic and cultural historians, Krige argues that thisattempt at scientific dominance by the United States can be seen as a form of "consensual hegemony, "involving the collaboration of influential local elites who shared American values. He uses thisnotion to analyze a series of case studies that describe how the U.S. administration, seniorofficers in the Rockefeller and Ford Foundations, the NATO Science Committee, and influentialmembers of the scientific establishment--notably Isidor I. Rabi of Columbia University and VannevarBush of MIT--tried to Americanize scientific practices in such fields as physics, molecular biology, and operations research. He details U.S. support for institutions including CERN, the Niels BohrInstitute, the French CNRS and its laboratories at Gif near Paris, and the never-established"European MIT." Krige's study shows how consensual hegemony in science not only served the interestsof postwar European reconstruction but became another way of maintaining American leadership and"making the world safe for democracy." The premise of this essay is that, given the basic inequality of resources [between the United States and Europe] after World War II, it would have been very difficult for any system of economic linkages or military alliance not to have generated an inter