Thursday 15th November 2018

British Views of the United States, 1939-1984 is a symposium organised by Professors Robert Cook and Clive Webb at the University of Sussex.

The symposium, supported by a grant from the British Association for American Studies and the US Embassy in London, assesses continuity and change in British attitudes towards the United States from the start of the Second World War to the late Cold War. Although there is an enormous literature on Anglo-American relations, it is usually focused on political and diplomatic elites with little insight into the thoughts and feelings of the larger public. Our focus is therefore on the ways in which notions of a ‘Special Relationship’ between Britain and the United States have been consistent with, or run counter to, popular opinion. We are also interested in intellectual, artistic and literary representations of the United States.

Our keynote speaker is Professor James Cronin of Boston College, author of Global Rules: America, Britain and a Disordered World.

Other confirmed participants include Professor Lucy Bland, Professor Sylvia Ellis, Dr Sam Edwards, Dr Steve Marsh, Dr Kennetta Perry and Dr Finn Pollard.