Description
Book SynopsisCalling into question the Cold War perspective that continued to permeate analyses of radicalism long after the fall of the Soviet Union, this study examines young Depression-Era radicals’ worldview—a worldview developed from the epicenter of young radical activism and ideology: New York City college campuses.
Trade Review"Fighting Authoritarianism provides a new and important examination of U.S. youth activism of the 1930s. Moving beyond the Cold War concerns that have dominated past studies of dissident youth in that era, Britt Haas shows us how their ideals and actions were, in many ways, quintessentially American." -- -Lawrence S. Wittner Professor of History emeritus, SUNY/Albany "From the cloisters of Columbia University to the coalfields of Kentucky, from racism in the South to the civil war in Spain, American youth in the 1930s mobilized against social and political injustice. This engaging study of progressive youth organizations charts their origins, their quest to fashion an America true to its ideals, and their demise. One of the strengths of Fighting Authoritarianism is that we hear the voices of young people; voices that speak, most often, with optimism and hope. By giving youth agency, Haas eschews the Cold War paradigm of earlier studies that emphasized communist control, and confirms that youth activism can be a source of inspiration in dark times." -- --Phillip Deery Victoria University, Melbourne "This book is a major contribution to the historiography of the era of the Great Depression. The role of youth has often been overlooked, but that is being corrected, especially with the scholarship of this book. Recommended highly for all people interested in the Great Depression." -- -Donald W. Whisenhunt Western Washing University
Table of ContentsIntroduction Chapter 1. The Effects of the Crash: The Youth Problem from New York City to Harlan County, Kentucky, and Back Again Chapter 2. The Reed Harrison Affair: Youth Claim Their Rights and Freedoms at Columbia University and Beyond Chapter 3. The Scottsboro Boys: Demands for Equality from the Deep South to New York City Chapter 4. The Popular Front: Strength in Unity, New York City Organizations Come Together in Solidarity Chapter 5. Playing Politics and Making Policy: Institutionalizing a Vision from New York to Washington Chapter 6. The Fight Against Fascism: The Spanish Republicans Find their Support in New York City Chapter 7. Dissolution: World War II Subverts the Zeitgeist and Youth's Vision for America Conclusion
