Introduction

This chapter introduces the edited volume Educational Internationalism in the Cold War. It defines and contextualizes internationalism within twentieth-century history, illustrating how, in the case of education, it facilitated cross-border encounters during the Cold War. More specifically, the chapter provides a detailed overview of the diverse actors, forms, and mechanisms of educational internationalism that emerged both in response to and as a consequence of the ideological divide. It also underscores the volume’s key contributions to the historiographical debate, particularly the significance of exchanges and cooperation within, across, and beyond the two blocs, the role of international organizations, and the agency of the Global South. The final section outlines the individual chapters in the volume and shows how they offer new insights into ongoing historical research on the Cold War, education, and internationalism.