E142 - The Cold War's Afterlife, Pt. 1 w/ Penny Von Eschen

Danny and Derek chat with Penny Von Eschen, William R. Kennan Jr. professor of American studies and professor of history at UVA, about her book Paradoxes of Nostalgia: Cold War Triumphalism and Global Disorder since 1989. In this first part of the discussion, the group explores the affective dimension of nostalgia, how the “end of history” and “clash of civilizations” narratives influenced U.S. policy starting in the 1990s, the post-Cold War malaise that took hold, and the proliferation of anti-government ideologies amidst a massive increase in military spending.