Americanism - New Perspectives on the History of an Ideal (Paperback, New edition)

The contributors to this volume recognize Americanism as an ideology, an articulation of the nation's rightful place in the world, a set of traditions, a political language, and a cultural style imbued with political meaning. In response to the pervasive vision of Americanism as a battle cry or a smug assumption, this collection of 12 essays stirs up new questions and debates that challenge us to rethink the model currently being exported to the rest of the world. The first group of essays addresses the understanding of Americanism within the US over the past two centuries, from the early republic to the war in Iraq. The second section provides perspectives from around the world in an effort to make sense of how the national creed and its critics have shaped diplomacy, war, and global culture in the 20th and 21st centuries. Contributors include Mia Bay, Melani McAlister, Alan McPherson, Louis Menand, and Alan Wolfe, among others.