International Sisterhood: Cold War Girl Scouts (Diplomatic History)

In my Spring 2014 article," International Sisterhood: Cold War Girl Scouts Encounter the World" in Diplomatic History, (2014) 38 (2):261-270, I present research on Girl Scouts and the Cold War.

After World War II, the Girl Scouts of the United States of America identified international friendship as a key component of its program. In 1957, the Girl Scouts partnered with their international counterparts, the World Association of Girl Guides, to establish Our Cabaña, an international meetinghouse in Cuernavaca, Mexico, where Girl Scouts could meet and befriend fellow members from around the globe. Soon after opening Our Cabaña, leaders noticed that some Girl Scouts repeatedly ignored rules about proper behavior in Mexico, and they feared that Scouts would alienate their Guide sisters and poorly represent the United States. This article asserts that responses to the problems at Our Cabaña demonstrate a critical shift in Girl Scouts’ stance on what constituted a good girl ambassador; the organization evolved from promoting manners in intercultural settings to declaring that cultural sensitivity was necessary for girls to become global citizens.