Americans are more religious, more patriotic, more populist. This is a major book by a major critic on the united states state of exception and state fantasies. Cormac mccarthy and the myth of american exceptionalism john. Godfrey hodgson, the myth of american exceptionalism new haven, ct yale university, 2009, p.
Exceptionalism keywords for american cultural studies. Read the myth of american exceptionalism by mr godfrey hodgson available from rakuten kobo. Most of the features of note are characteristics familiar to most americans with some sense of our history and the history of europe since the. Indeed, the very illusion that a nation is under divine dispensation may 1. A british author criticizes the united states in the wake of the wars in afghanistan and iraq and the 2008 financial debacle. When the soviet union collapsed, america loomed as the gleaming superpower. Three pages into the myth of the american dream i was reminded that d.
The myth derived from the leg end of american exceptionalism is the frontier myth slatta 2010, which posits that these qualities were spread through the settlement of the american frontier. The myth of american exceptionalism by godfrey hodgson, a fellow at the rothermere american institute, university of oxford, takes a quasiantagonistic stance against the idea of american povidentialism and its alleged impediment of americas true heritage and. Throughout history, political, economic and moral figures would like the world and american citizens to believe that what makes another book that makes you frustrated with. American exceptionalism is one of three related ideas. Linking the different modes of commemoration, her work bridges the distance that believers in confederate exceptionalism maintain. I would therefore like to suggest that a certain strand of christianity be added to the growing list of features of american exceptionalism.
Jan 27, 2009 a stimulating and timely assessment of how americas belief in its exceptionalism has led it astray, this book is mandatory reading for its citizens, admirers, and detractors. The new american exceptionalism university of minnesota. Its scope, theoretical adventurousness and lucidity, radical commitment to ethical acts, and seriousness make the new american exceptionalism an unusual and stunning work of american cultural and political theory. Godfrey hodgson begins his debunking of american national mythology with this urtext of american literature. The following is a brief introduction to an interesting and controversial book that was recently published by yale university press.
Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read the myth of american exceptionalism. The myth of american exceptionalism and the uniqueness of america. American exceptionalism and american innocence examines the stories were told that lead us to think that the u. The united states behaves better than other nations do. The idea that the united states is destined to spread its unique gifts of democracy and capitalism to other countries is. Mayfield is an unapologetic truth teller devoted to loving her neighbors. In the last year or so, i have done a great deal of work on american exceptionalism in revisiting these arguments i first made some twenty years ago, before the current increased interest in american exceptionalism a phenomenon that is clearly related to the uneasy state of the nation in regard to its slipping global power position. The myth of american exceptionalism godfrey hodgson. Sirvent and haiphong examine historical events and the myths that justified them. The problem of the twentieth century is the problem of the color line, w. The idea that the united states is destined to spread its unique gifts of democracy and capitalism to other countries is dangerous for americans and for the rest of the world, warns godfrey hodgson in this provocative book. For instance, after world war two the us developed a messiah complex that it was the savior of the world. Godfrey hodgson has trained his formidable intelligence against the second of theseand written a provocative exploration of american history as well as american myth.
Unlearning the myth of american innocence us news the. Spending much of this work interpreting some of the mythology of the american experience and chalking it up as nothing more than nationalistic ignorance, hodgson continuously backtracks in an attempt to appease those who would choose to vehemently disagree. Matthew lassiter talked about the book he coedited with joseph crespino, the myth of southern exceptionalism oxford university press, usa. A brief history of american exceptionalism yale university. There is something exceptional about american exceptionalism. The myth of american exceptionalism by godfrey hodgson. Peases text explains how american exceptionalism has shaped and.
The idea that the united states is destined to spread its unique gifts of democracy and capitalism to other countries is dangerous for americans and for the rest of. Jul 19, 2019 but this splendid new book american exceptionalism and american innocence by roberto sirvent and danny haiphong a study of a political mythology and its uses has a completely different target in mind. Debunking the myth of american exceptionalism, with david. She has a prophetic voice, and like all prophets, she speaks the truth while reminding us god loves us. Myth of american exceptionalism yale university press. Jan 01, 2009 the myth of american exceptionalism is interesting and lucid as it examines the errors and exaggerations in the national selfimage. This book is a very interesting read for those who are interested in american history and the notion of american exceptionalism.
The myth of american exceptionalism ebook written by godfrey hodgson. Dec 27, 2015 the myth of american exceptionalism and the uniqueness of america 12272015 10. Feb 23, 2010 buy the myth of american exceptionalism by hodgson, godfrey isbn. Apr 26, 2009 at the heart of american exceptionalism lies a messianic streak, the belief in a country with a global calling to uplift. The idea that the united states is uniquely virtuous may be comforting to americans. Aug 08, 2017 american exceptionalism did not only define the us as a special nation among lesser nations. The myth of american exceptionalism is interesting and lucid as it examines the errors and exaggerations in the national selfimage. The myth of american exceptionalism paperback february 23, 2010 by godfrey hodgson author. Clive cook, financial timesclive cook godfrey hodgson provides readers with a grand tour through american history that offers a friendly but stern hand to explain our sense of exceptionalism in the world. A subtle outline of this myth of christian prosperity has been there, for instance, in the white papers on the american century produced by wolfowitz, cheney, rove, rumsfeld, and others during the. Pease notes that state fantasies cannot altogether conceal the inconsistencies they mask, showing how such events as the revelations of prisoner abuse at abu ghraib prison and the exposure of government incompetence after hurricane katrina opened fissures in the myth of exceptionalism. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the myth of american exceptionalism. Put simply, if one wishes to reform an institution, it. God has a special providence for fools, drunks, and the united states of americathen such exceptionalism can only be proven sub specie aeternitatis.
In this view, american exceptionalism stems from its emergence from the american revolution, thereby becoming what political scientist seymour martin lipset called the first new nation and developing a uniquely american ideology. This overview of mccarthyas published work to date, including. The myth of american exceptionalism by walt, stephen m. The myth of american exceptionalism godfrey hodgson, author. The myth of american exceptionalism book, 2009 worldcat. Moreover, as godfrey hodgson recently noted in his sympathetic but cleareyed book, the myth of american exceptionalism, the spread of liberal ideals is a global phenomenon with roots in the. While the us has exercised tremendous influence over western countries since ww ii, lipset argues, it remains exceptional. Declarations of american exceptionalism rest on the belief that the united states is a uniquely virtuous nation, one that loves peace, nurtures liberty, respects human rights, and embraces the rule of law.
Godfrey hodgson the idea that the united states is destined to spread its unique gifts of democracy and capitalism to other countries is dangerous for americans and for the rest of the world, warns godfrey hodgson. The author argues that america as a nation is less exceptional in the good way than claimed, and probably even more exceptional in negative ways. Jul 12, 2019 american exceptionalism and american innocence is not just a history book, although it is that too. The myth of american exceptionalism book description. Godfrey hodgson provides a weakknee defense to his book the myth of american exceptionalism. The new american exceptionalism university of minnesota press. American exceptionalism and american innocence audiobook. Pease mocks american exceptionalism as a state fantasy and a myth in his 2009 book the new american exceptionalism. European law and the myth of english exceptionalism. That is why we are invited not to a life of charity but of solidarity and advocacy with those on the margins. The myth of american exceptionalism ebook by mr godfrey.
American exceptionalism and american innocence a book. In its classic forms, american exceptionalism refers to the special character of the united states as a uniquely free nation based on democratic ideals and personal liberty. The book, though short, manages to be somewhat repetitious, perhaps reflecting that exceptionalism andor its myth is really just a part of more complete histories. American exceptionalism and american innocence audiobook by. But the fact that american exceptionalism is a myth does have important implications for anyone who wishes to bend reality in its direction. In a celebrated speech in 1974, ronald reagan quoted the words of a 17th. The idea of american exceptionalism, once a concept dear to the sectarian left, long ago evolved into a shibboleth of the republican right. After the conditions that lent the exceptionalist frame its plausibility passed away, the forgotten underside of u. Burton mack american exceptionalism, a term that is currently making the rounds among journalists, denotes those features of american selfunderstanding that distinguish it from other modern societies, especially european nationstates.
The myth of american exceptionalism kindle edition by. The myth of american exceptionalism foreign policy. This paradigm shift of which william blackstone was a proponent saw the common law as created spontaneously by the volk, predating the conquest. The idea that the united states is destined to spread its unique gifts of. Nonetheless, an interesting take on american thought. The myth of american exceptionalism and the uniqueness of. The myth of american exceptionalism the washington post. Oct 07, 2019 only in the 17th century did a new creation myth led by sir edward coke and others arise, according to which the common law was an indigenous anglosaxon system that preceded the norman conquest. He examines the myths of american exceptionalism from the early days of the english settlers 150 years before there was the united states of america to the present day.
The myth of american exceptionalism the national interest. Clive cook, financial times godfrey hodgson provides readers with a grand tour through american history that offers a friendly but stern hand to explain our sense of exceptionalism in the world. The idea that the united states is destined to spread its unique gifts of democracy and capitalism to other countries is dangerous for americans and for the res. Noted political analyst lipset public policygeorge mason univ jews and the american scene, 1995, etc. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. The myth of american exceptionalism kindle edition by hodgson, godfrey. May 09, 2011 the reality behind american exceptionalism. The first is that the history of the united states is inherently different from that of other nations.