The Search for Extraterrestrial Civilizations: A Scientific, Technical, Political, Social, and Cultural Adventure

I review the scientific and technical history of the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI), discuss the impact of the political involvement, and speculate on the nature of a successful detection and its potential social and cultural impact. Emphasis is on the development of SETI in the United States and the complementary progress in the Former Soviet Union.
Comment: To be published in Essays on Astronomical History and Heritage A Tribute to Wayne Orchiston on his 80th Birthday, ed. Steven Gullberg and Peter Robertson, Springer