Special Session of the Institute of World History of the Russian Academy of Sciences at the 13th RISA Convention: Changes in the Research Field of the History of the Cold War

Abstract

The article makes a review of the 8 academic papers presented at the special session of the Institute of World History of the Russian Academy of Sciences conducted as part of the 13th RISA Convention in Moscow “The World System of Socialism” and global economics in 1950s — 1970s: discussion in historiography and the recent archival evidences”. The session summed up results of 5 years of research work of scientific team at the Institute of World History financed by the grant of the Russian Science Foundation 17-18-01728 in 2017—2021. The author specifies main publications and reviews in press on the published book series “The World System of Socialism” and global economics” established in the “Ves’ Mir” publishing company as part of the project, and analyses its merit in comparison with analogоus book series which appeared in the world. The key talking points of presented papers are represented threw the lense of a search for alternative development in 1950s — 1970s, alternative to the capitalist system. The comparative analysis of modernization efforts in the countries of the Eastern Bloc, institutional reforms in COMECON and UN (creation of UNCTAD), collective answer to technological challenges of the colour TV (SECAM) is displayed around discussion on the struggle between political and economic concerns of policymakers in this period of time. The author comes to conclusion that the trend line in the world historiography of the last 5 years becomes a study of the global Cold War from the angle of “East — South” relations. The interdisciplinary research conducted by Russian historians answers this new challenge in research field of the Cold War history.