American Inquisition

In these 14 lectures, Professor Ellen Schrecker gives a comprehensive overview of McCarthyism. Schrecker discusses key points in relation to their current political contexts and larger historical lineage, relating American anti-Communism to a range of other responses to perceived threats to the American way of life. Schrecker discusses these matters both on the large scale, tracking trends through the years, and the small, addressing the personalities and motivations of specific individuals. Schrecker's delivery is clear, measured, and articulate. She's friendly and easy to follow, if a touch nasal at times, and her tone maintains a professorial distance from these troubling events. G.T.B. (c) AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine