This author delves into the intricate relationship between science, power, and ideology, with a particular focus on the Cold War era. Through in-depth analysis, they examine how science and technology were leveraged to maintain and project state power. Their work explores not only the tangible manifestations of scientific might but also the unsettling role of propaganda and psychological warfare, and specifically how the very ideas of science—its perceived apolitical and objective nature—were wielded as tools in ideological battles. The author questions how these Cold War-era concepts continue to shape our understanding of science's role in public life.
Closing in the present day with a discussion of the 2017 March for Science and the prospects for science and science diplomacy in the Trump era, the book demonstrates the continued hold of Cold War thinking on ideas about science and politics in the United States.