Spacebridge 2 – Foreign Policy According to Freud

Spacebridge examines the emergence of "Track 2 diplomacy" during the Cold War, where ordinary citizens and non-governmental actors attempted to bridge the ideological divide between the United States and the Soviet Union. By utilizing satellite technology to connect audiences in Moscow and California, organizers sought to humanize the "enemy" and bypass the rigid, often stalled, negotiations of government officials. Early, technically chaotic attempts at these satellite links evolved into more profound moments of connection, most notably when Soviet physicist Evgeny Velikhov publicly denounced nuclear weaponry, sparking an emotional response from American viewers. Despite these glimpses of grassroots unity, the project remained a fragile experiment, constantly threatened by the escalating geopolitical tensions and nuclear anxieties that defined the early 1980s. These efforts ultimately highlight the limitations and potential of citizen-led diplomacy in an era of existential threat.