Duck and Cover! The Impact of the Cold War on American Kids. An Approach to the US Historiography of Childhood

Abstract

Since the 1960s, the history of childhood -and children- has undergone a constant evolution, which has allowed for the establishment of an interrelation between its object of study and broad historical issues, such as society, culture and international relations. This article will explore the development of this academic field through the most relevant contributions focused on American kids’ experiences. Similarly, as a case study, the author will bring some of these lines of research together -family, education, entertainment products and so on- in order to address a common subject matter: the effects of the Cold War on children. In this way, the article will provide an overview as well as a specific analysis of the possibilities that this historiographical discipline offers for the promotion of a better understanding of certain historical events and processes in the United States.