Changing the World, Changing Oneself ― Political Protest and Collective Identities in West Germany and the US in the 1960s and 1970s

This is a collection of scholarly articles which were presented at the conference "The 'Other' Alliance: Political Protest, Intercultural Relations, and Collective Identities in West Germany and the United States, 1958-77," held in Heidelberg in 2005. This volume explores the cross cultural exchange of ideas between West Germany and the United States which resulted from the youth movements of the 1960s and 1970s. Contributors include both German and American academics as well as an activist involved in protest movements since 1969. Subjects covered include the limits of praxis, the West German student movement and its Western alliance, and the cultural contradictions of the Cold War. Special attention is focused on how diplomatic relations and ideas of democracy have changed as a result of these protest movements as well as analysis of their consequences. The final chapter is a compilation of discussions among conference participants, many of whom were involved in youth protest movements. Annotation ©2010 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Belinda Davis is Professor and Director of Graduate Studies, Department of History at Rutgers University.