In “Red Scare,” Clay Risen shows how culture in the United States is still driven by the political paranoia of the 1950s.

At its height, the political crackdown felt terrifying and all-encompassing. What can we learn from how the movement unfolded ...

Recent actions by the Trump administration — including the arrest of pro-Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil — have drawn comparisons to the Red Scare of the early and mid-20th century.

NPR's Steve Inskeep speaks with author Clay Risen about his new book, "Red Scare," which tells the story of McCarthyism based in part on newly declassified sources.