Until World War II, the international activities of science and of the U.S. government were conducted in relative isolation from one another. By the start of the Cold War, scientists became increasingly involved in foreign policy evaluations and decision-making. This unprecedented development created a new professional role for scientists and new tensions with traditional diplomats and career politicians. Yet because the history of American involvement in international science after 1945 remains largely unexplored, little is known about these far-reaching changes. Dr. Doel is concentrating in this study on science and scientists in the State Department, the National Security Council, the Central Intelligence Agency, and related institutions in the early Cold War era. He is focusing particularly on how the new links between science and foreign policy influence the practice of science and affected American diplomacy, and examines how these developments affected democratic values and processes, including the role of experts in policy formation. The integration of science and technology into foreign policy was one of the most significant political transformations in the second half of the 20th century and is recognized today as a salient feature of global relations. Yet this transformation was far from smooth. Diplomacy, one of the least responsive of democratic establishments, linked to traditional constituencies, was slow to react to the new prominence of science. Scientists, seeking to extend their faith in technocratic values to broader realms of U.S. policy, nevertheless persevered in creating new opportunities that many hoped would ease international tensions while aiding American research. Yet, after Sputnik's launch, scientists split with one another and with the government officials over American participation in international science activities, management of Third World science aid, and calls for centralized controls over U.S. research to match perceived Soviet superiority . The relationship between science and U.S. foreign affairs is an important component of Cold War history, one that promises new insight into the evolution of democratic values and practices.
