San Antonio College Library

Investigates changing interpretations of Nationalism following the War of 1812.

This lively reader traces the search for American tradition and national identity through folklore and folklife from the 19th century to the present. Through an engaging set of essays, Folk Nation shows how American thinkers and leaders have used folklore to express the meaning of their country. Simon Bronner has carefully selected statements by public intellectuals and popular writers as well as by scholars, all chosen for their readability and significance...

In The Next American Nation, a provocative look at the past, present, and future of our national identity, Michael Lind maintains that American society is not breaking into separate tribal enclaves. The really significant development of our time is the emergence of a multiracial middle-class American majority united by a common language, customs, and culture. Until now this new majority, lacking a sense of its identity or interests, has been the object...

"This sweeping history of twentieth-century America follows the changing and often conflicting ideas about the fundamental nature of American society: Is the United States a social melting pot, as our civic creed warrants, or is full citizenship somehow reserved for those who are white and of the "right" ancestry? Gary Gerstle traces the forces of civic and racial nationalism, arguing that both profoundly shaped our society."--Jacket.

"Grounding the causes and philosophies of the Civil War in an international context, Andre Fleche examines how questions of national self-determination, race, class, and labor the world over influenced American interpretations of the strains on the Union and the growing differences between North and South. Setting familiar events in an international context, Fleche enlarges our understanding of nationalism in the nineteenth century"--Jacket.

Nationalism is one of the most complex sources of conflicts and identities in the contemporary world, but few reports on current conflicts explain how nationalist ideas emerged and gained influence in modern world history. Lloyd Kramer's lucid account of Western nationalisms during and after the era of the American and French Revolutions thus provides a valuable, concise description of political, religious, and literary ideas that still shape national...

"In this reconceptualization of the history of U.S. foreign policy, Walter L. Hixson contends that a mythical national identity, which includes the notion of American moral superiority and the duty to protect all of humanity, has had remarkable continuity through the centuries, repeatedly propelling America into war against an endless series of external enemies. As this myth has supported violence, violence in turn has supported the myth." "The Myth...

"The big story about gender in the 2016 presidential year was supposed to be about Hillary Clinton, and her quest to become the first woman president of the United States. Then Donald Trump s candidacy for the Republican nomination took off, and the narrative took an unexpected turn. Gender was still a central force to be reckoned with, but contrary to the popular understanding of gender as synonymous with women, the gender issue at the heart of the...