Hope & Folly: The United States and UNESCO, 1945-1985

``Since wars begin in the minds of men, it is in the minds of men that the defences of peace must be constructed.'' Thus begins the constitution of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, established in the wake of WW II to further world peace. The U.S., a founding member, would later accuse UNESCO of corruption, ``politicization'' and threatening the workings of the free press on a global scale. In 1983, frustrated by its own loss of influence in Third World countries, the U.S. pulled out. This painstakingly documented book defends UNESCO with passion and intelligence, chronicling the history of the organization and the Reagan administration's alleged disinformation campaign against it, and chastising the American media for echoing the anti-UNESCO government line. Preston is emeritus professor of history at New York's John Jay College of Criminal Justice, Herman is professor of finance at the Wharton School and Schiller is professor of communication at the University of California at San Diego. (Oct.)