SKU: 16432911618

Think Tank Aesthetics: Midcentury Modernism, the Cold War, and the Neoliberal Present

Sale price$26.78 Regular price$29.75
Save 10%

Pay in installments of $7.44 with ShopPay, AfterPay and Klarna

Shipping Estimate
USA
  • USA
  • CAN

Ships within 48 hours · Estimated delivery Aug 5 - Aug 10

Promo Codes Available:

For Your Every Summer RSVP, with Code: SUMMER15

Description

Think Tank Aesthetics: Midcentury Modernism, the Cold War, and the Neoliberal PresentHow the approaches and methods of think tanks including systems theory, operational research, and cybernetics paved the way for a peculiar genre of midcentury modernism. In Think Tank Aesthetics, Pamela Lee traces the complex encounters between Cold War think tanks and the art of that era. Lee shows how the approaches and methods of think tanks including systems theory, operations research, and cybernetics paved the way for a peculiar genre of

How the approaches and methods of think tanks--including systems theory, operational research, and cybernetics--paved the way for a peculiar genre of midcentury modernism.

In Think Tank Aesthetics, Pamela Lee traces the complex encounters between Cold War think tanks and the art of that era. Lee shows how the approaches and methods of think tanks--including systems theory, operations research, and cybernetics--paved the way for a peculiar genre of midcentury modernism and set the terms for contemporary neoliberalism. Lee casts these shadowy institutions as sites of radical creativity and interdisciplinary practice in the service of defense strategy. Describing the distinctive aesthetics that emerged from such institutions as the RAND Corporation, she maps the multiple and overlapping networks that connected nuclear strategists, mathematicians, economists, anthropologists, artists, designers, and art historians.

Lee recounts, among other things, the decades-long colloquy between Albert Wohlstetter, a RAND analyst, and his former professor, the famous art historian Meyer Schapiro; the anthropologist Margaret Mead's deployment of innovative visual aids that recall midcentury abstract art; and the combination of cybernetics and modernist design in an "Opsroom" for the short-lived socialist government of Salvador Allende in 1970s Chile (and its restaging many years later as a work of art). Lee suggests that we think of these connections less as disciplinary border crossings than as colonization of the specific interests of arts by the approaches and methods of the sciences. Hearing the echoes of think tank aesthetics in today's pursuit of the interdisciplinary and in academia's science-infused justification of the humanities, Lee wonders what territory has been ceded in a laboratory approach to the arts.



Binding Type: Hardcover
Publisher: MIT Press
Published: 03/17/2020
ISBN: 9780262043526
Pages: 360
Weight: 2.25lbs
Size: 9.10h x 7.30w x 1.20d
Shipping Notes
  • Free Standard Shipping on $100+ Orders to the USA.
  • Except Preorder products are shipped in 48 hours.
  • Delivery to the USA:
  1. Standard Shipping : 3-10 business days
  • If time is of the essence, please consider selecting expedited delivery for faster service.
Exchange/Return Notes
  • We offer a 30-day return/exchange service after receiving.
  • Final sale items are not eligible for returns or exchanges.
  • To process your return/exchange, please contact us at [email protected]
  • Please click here for more details>>> Return & Exchange Policy
SKU: 16432911618

Discover Niche Categories That Outsell

Top-Converting Item to Boost Your Average Order

4.5 ★★★★★
Based on 14 reviews
Sort
Highest Rating
Newest First
Oldest First
Product Reviews
B
Verified Purchase
B.Nicole
Alexandria, US
★★★★★ 5
High Quality & a Must-Have for Any Heat Press User
Size: 10Pack 12"x16" Black
These PTFE sheets are an absolute must if you use a heat press. I use them all the time and the quality is excellent. They’re thick, durable, and truly non-stick, which makes pressing vinyl so much easier and cleaner. They protect my projects and my heat press perfectly, and they hold up well even with frequent use. I also love the size—plenty of coverage for different projects. This 10-pack is a great value for the price, especially if you’re pressing often like I am. I’ll definitely be keeping these on hand and repurchasing when needed.
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on January 24, 2026
C
Verified Purchase
Chelsea Portillo
Natrona Heights, US
★★★★★ 5
Must have
Size: 3Pack 16"x20" Black
These Teflon sheets are a must-have for heat press projects! They protect my designs and heat press perfectly without sticking or leaving any marks. The material feels durable, reusable, and easy to clean after multiple uses. They handle high heat really well and make crafting so much smoother and less stressful. Perfect for sublimation, HTV, and other transfer projects. Great quality and definitely worth buying for anyone who does crafting or custom apparel!
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on May 12, 2026
D
Verified Purchase
Donnafaye Moss
Dallas, US
★★★★★ 4
They do the job
Size: 3Pack 16"x20" Black
They work well.
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on June 9, 2026
E
Verified Purchase
E Rebecca
Charlottesville, US
★★★★★ 5
Good quality
Size: 3Pack 16"x20" Black
Super price. Good quality
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on June 7, 2026
K
Verified Purchase
Keith Wiggley
Charlottesville, US
★★★★★ 5
Ptfe sheets was great
Size: 3Pack 16"x20" Black
It worked well and was a good thickness
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on May 24, 2026

recommand products