Summer School - The Cold War Through The Collections Of The Intrepid Museum, 22 July – 3 August 2018, USA
National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH)
Nonprofit organization, Browse similar opportunities
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Nonprofit organization, Browse similar opportunities
The Cold War spanned more than four decades, beginning almost immediately on the heels of WWII. Opposing attitudes, ideologies and concerns played out on every front, from political to social, from economic to cultural, influencing decisions in political leadership, government investment and artistic expressions. From the introduction of the strategy of “containment” relating to geographic regions on earth to the race for space, this time in U.S. history illuminates the global forces that shaped the twentieth century: colonialism, imperialism, hegemony, modernization, Third World development, revolution, capitalism, communism, as well as human rights and social movements. The buildup of nuclear armaments and the idea of mutually ensured destruction engendered fear at every level of society. In the US, fear of Communism and its association with Soviet expansion led to the hearings of the House Un-American Activities Committee. These fears drove the development of ever more advanced technologies for spying between nations, outreach into space and for destruction. Arguably, the historic relations that evolved during this period are still evident in current international relations and political actions. The Cold War through the Collections of the Intrepid Museum will immerse participating teachers in scholarly historical research as well as the history, artifacts and oral histories in the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum’s collection that embody the Cold War era. Integrating content exploring the historical context of technological innovation, the Institute will serve a national group of 25 teachers in order to deepen their understanding and increase confidence in their ability to explore the subject thoroughly, critically and engagingly with their students. Open to all who fit the NEH eligibility criteria, this institute is most appropriate for middle and high school history, humanities, science and technology teachers.
Located in New York City, this two-week Institute makes use of two historic sites—the former U.S. aircraft carrier Intrepid, a National Historic Landmark, and the former U.S. submarine, Growler, a unique artifact that represents the technology and tensions of the Cold War. These historic sites, along with the oral histories of the men that served on these vessels, will provide a powerful starting point for examining the history and legacy of Cold War technology. Intrepid was one of the U.S. Navy aircraft carriers that served in several roles during different phases of the Cold War—as a floating airport realizing the Rolling Thunder initiative in the Vietnam War, as a recovery vessel as part of the space program and as a “submarine hunter” anti-submarine carrier deployed against the silent threat of missile-carrying Soviet vessels. The former USS Growler (SSG-577) submarine, in service from 1958 to 1964, was an early attempt to use submarines as covert missile platforms. Armed with Regulus I nuclear missiles, Growler patrolled near the east coast of the Soviet Union, with a crew of 95–100 men. Their mission: stand ready for the order to launch its missiles at the Soviet Union, an order that fortunately never came. In addition, the Museum’s collection includes a Project Oxcart A-12 spy plane equipped with cameras that could take an image from 80,000 feet, and, from the latter years of investment in a major Cold War-driven initiative—the race for space—the shuttle orbiter Enterprise. Just as important as these large artifacts and historic spaces are the primary source documents, ephemera and oral histories collected by the Museum from this era, connecting the larger history to specific, human stories.
The overarching goals for participants in the Institute are the following:
Participating NEH Summer Scholars will have the Museum’s Michael Tyler Fisher Center for Education as their primary base for the duration of the Institute, with meetings off-site and in other areas of the Museum as appropriate. The Education Center is equipped with classrooms, a computer lab and meeting rooms. Audiovisual capabilities include drop-down screens, wall-mounted flat screens, built-in LCD projectors, blackout screens, Wi-Fi and PC/Mac inputs for presentations. Many of the historic spaces are not accessible for those with mobility challenges, however, the Education Center is fully wheelchair accessible. American Sign Language interpretation will be provided if requested, and assistive listening devices with hearing loops are also available as are tactile maps and other accommodations. Teachers will have ample opportunity to explore the Museum and experience firsthand how the Museum uses its collection and archival holdings to increase public understanding of the humanities.
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