Title: Leadership and Science. Yangos Pesmazoglou and the Diplomacy of Ideas, 1954-1974 [Hegessía kè epistími. O Yàngos Pesmazòglu kè i diplomatía ton ideòn, 1954-1974] – in Greek
Series: TEKMÌRIA apò to Istorikò Archìo [DOCUMENTS from the Historical Archive]
Author: Zenobia Lialiouti
Publisher: Bank of Greece (Centre for Culture, Research and Documentation)
Year of publication: 2026
Number of pages: 328
Dimensions: 24 x 15 cm
Book type: History
ISBN: 978-618-5536-82-4
ISSN: 2732-8384
Original archival documents (digitised): https://doi.org/10.52903/ccrd.d6.2026
Central Distribution:
a. National Bank of Greece Cultural Foundation (ΜΙΕΤ) in Athens (13 Amerikis Str., tel.: +30 210 3614143) and Thessaloniki (11 Tsimiski Str., tel.: +30 2310 288036)
b. Ι. Nikolopoulos & Co. SA – Ekdoseis tou Eikostou Protou (9 Ζaloggou Str., Athens, tel.: +30 210 3800520).
About the book
The book explores the role of cultural and scientific diplomacy in shaping and renewing the postwar elites, while also tracing the evolving relationship of these elites with the United States. Taking the career of Ioannis (Yangos) Pesmazoglou as its point of departure, it offers an in‑depth study of the Eisenhower Foundation’s fellowship programme—one of the most illustrative cases of cooperation between private initiative and American state policy. The analysis highlights the significance of soft power tools designed to facilitate the transfer of expertise and to establish channels of communication among transatlantic elites during the Cold War. It constitutes a substantive contribution to the historiography Cultural Cold War and to our understanding of the mechanisms that shaped scientific and professional fields in postwar Greece.
About the series “Documents from the Historical Archives” of the Bank of Greece
Unpublished documents, confidential reports, business letters and personal testimonies co-exist in the new publication series of the Bank of Greece, which showcases the richness of its Historical Archives. Each book focuses on a historical event, a critical period or an important person, which are illuminated by unpublished archival documents. Specialised scientists select, combine and comment on the archival material, helping the reader to navigate through the sources and to experience his own, unmediated contact with the raw matter of history.