Journeys of Soviet Things: Cold War as Lived Experience in Cuba and India

Journeys of Soviet Things is an oral history of socialist globalization that explores the journeys of Cold War-era Soviet objects in India and Cuba. It reveals a bricolage of preferences that crisscrossed ideological dualities, shaping an alternative cosmopolitanism.

Format: Hardback
Length: 234 pages
Publication date: 03 March 2023
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

Journeys of Soviet Things is a captivating oral history that delves into the intricate intersection of cultural history, material culture studies, memory studies, and feminist geopolitics. It revolves around the remarkable journeys of Cold War-era Soviet objects as they traversed the landscapes of India and Cuba. During the Cold War, the circulation of these "banal objects" played a pivotal role in perpetuating Soviet ideals of modernization and anti-imperialist solidarity across the globe. These objects, ranging from cars to washing machines, cameras, books, nesting dolls, porcelain, and countless other items, were produced in the Soviet Union and cherished by people in various parts of the world.

By examining the itineraries of Soviet objects, this book offers a unique perspective on the Cold War. It explores how these objects became intertwined with the personal, affective, and everyday experiences of individuals in India and Cuba. Interlocutors' accounts shed light on the complex web of preferences that crisscrossed ideological dualities such as East vs. West, communist vs. capitalist, creating an alternative cosmopolitanism that was shaped by a rich tapestry of personal, local, and national histories and experiences.

Through these narratives, Journeys of Soviet Things challenges the simplistic geopolitical binaries that often frame the Cold War. It demonstrates how Soviet objects coexisted with things from around the world, blurring the boundaries between different regions and ideologies. This bricolage of preferences highlights the interconnectedness of global cultures and the nuanced ways in which individuals negotiated their identities and relationships within this complex geopolitical landscape.

This book appeals to a wide range of readers interested in Cold War history, the history of transnational solidarities, and Soviet material culture. It provides a rich and nuanced understanding of the complexities of the Cold War era, offering a fresh perspective on the global politics and cultural interactions of the time.

Weight: 616g
Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780367686574