HIST 623: US Political History 1940-1990

HIST 623-001: US Political History 1940-1990
(Fall 2026)

07:20 PM to 10:00 PM R

Innovation Hall 316

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Section Information for Fall 2026

What is the legacy of the anticommunist movement of the 1950s? How did the liberal coalition of 1964 give way to a resurgent conservatism by 1980? Did the reformist impulses of the 1960s endure past the end of the decade? Have concerns about class displaced debates over race? How do local and regional stories complicate national narratives? And can a historical profession dominated by liberal Democrats fairly answer these questions? This version of HIST 623 will explore the postwar era by focusing on recent scholarship that seeks to explain the apparent collapse of the once-mighty New Deal order and the challenges posed by a rising conservative movement. We will compare explanations stressing conflicts over race relations, business interests, Communism, crime, war, and other factors to build a complex, if not comprehensive, understanding of the postwar period. 

Course Information from the University Catalog

Credits: 3

Explores political, social, economic, and cultural elements of life in the United States from World War II to the Reagan era. Traces debates over the legacy of the New Deal, considering such topics as race relations, business interests, Communism, crime, and war to build a complex, if not comprehensive, understanding of the postwar period. (Chronological field: US since 1914) Offered by History & Art History. May not be repeated for credit.
Registration Restrictions:

Enrollment limited to students with a class of Advanced to Candidacy, Graduate, Junior Plus, Non-Degree or Senior Plus.

Enrollment is limited to Graduate, Non-Degree or Undergraduate level students.

Students in a Non-Degree Undergraduate degree may not enroll.

Schedule Type: Lecture
Grading:
This course is graded on the Graduate Regular scale.

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