
Gas Mask Nation
Feelings of loss, horror, and anxiety are among the emotions most often associated with war, but in her latest book Weisenfeld challenges readers to consider a more nuanced reality. Gas Mask Nation (The University of Chicago Press) explores the pleasurable visual culture of Japanese civil air defense (called bōkū). Through a variety of artworks, photographs, cartoons, posters, and more, Weisenfeld highlights the pleasure, desire, wonder, creativity, and humor that were present throughout Japanese culture during World War II.

Paw in print

October 2025
Philanthropist MacKenzie Scott ’92; President Eisgruber ’83 defends higher ed; Julia Ioffe ’05 explains Russia.