Cultures of United States Imperialism

Book Overview

Cultures of United States Imperialism represents a major paradigm shift that will remap the field of American Studies. Pointing to a glaring blind spot in the basic premises of the study of American culture, leading critics and theorists in cultural studies, history, anthropology, and literature reveal the "denial of empire" at the heart of American Studies. Challenging traditional definitions and periodizations of imperialism, this volume shows how international relations reciprocally shape a dominant imperial culture at home and how imperial relations are enacted and contested within the United States. Drawing on a broad range of interpretive practices, these essays range across American history, from European representations of the New World to the mass media spectacle of the Persian Gulf War. The volume breaks down the boundary between the study of foreign relations and American culture to examine imperialism as an internal process of cultural appropriation and as an external struggle over international power. The contributors explore how the politics of continental and international expansion, conquest, and resistance have shaped the history of American culture just as much as the cultures of those it has dominated. By uncovering the dialectical relationship between American cultures and international relations, this collection demonstrates the necessity of analyzing imperialism as a political or economic process inseparable from the social relations and cultural representations of gender, race, ethnicity, and class at home. Contributors. Lynda Boose, Mary Yoko Brannen, Bill Brown, William Cain, Eric Cheyfitz, Vicente Diaz, Frederick Errington, Kevin Gaines, Deborah Gewertz, Donna Haraway, Susan Jeffords, Myra Jehlen, Amy Kaplan, Eric Lott, Walter Benn Michaels, Donald E. Pease, Vicente Rafael, Michael Rogin, José David Saldívar, Richard Slotkin, Doris Sommer, Gauri Viswanathan, Priscilla Wald, Kenneth Warren, Christopher P. Wilson

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0822314134
• ISBN13: 9780822314134
• Release Date: January 1994
• Publisher: Duke University Press
• Length: 680 Pages
• Weight: 2.35 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.8" x 6.1" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

Filling the Gaps

Begins to fill the gaping void of imperialism in the standard histories of the US by exploring how US expansion has influenced people of other cultures. In a collection of 26 seminal essays and chapters that focus mostly on Africa and African Americans, but also consider the Philippines, Native Americans, Cuba, Latin America, and Disneyworld in Tokyo, Kaplan and Pease explore the racial and gender dimensions, the ideologies that prop up imperialism, resistance, and other facets. Until recently, scholars of American Studies, literature, and history have largely overlooked the role of imperialism in the development of American culture. Since the early 1990s, some scholars have endeavored to set this right by paying more notice to issues such immigration, race and gender identity, travel, and American empire (Philippines, Cuba, Panama, etc.). This collection of essays brings together Amy Kaplan, Donald Pease, Walter Benn Michaels, John Carlos Rowe, Kenneth Warren, and many more. As a self-described democracy with a protracted history of slavery, institutionalized racism and sexism, and an imperialist agenda, U.S. culture defies simple, straightforward explanation.

Top Rate American Studies and Cultural History

This book contains a huge cache of interesting and thought provoking articles by some of the best scholars out there. I agree with the first two reviewers, this is hard work. But its the kind of hard work that is actually refreshing and even energizing, in a way. There are different types of writing, these different types produce different reading experiences. The style predominant in this book is meant to slow the reader down, to present an interpretation that should be reflected on and critically engaged. The writers herein, I would say, should be credited with analyzing difficult topics in the history of American imperialism in ways that are still enjoyably readable. My personal favorites are: Myra Jehlen, "Why Did the Europeans Cross the Ocean?" Richard Slotkin, "Buffalo Bill's 'Wild West' and the Mythologization of American Empire" Amy Kaplan, "Black and Blue on San Juan Hill" Donna Haraway, "Teddy Bear Patriarchy" Eric Lott, "White Like Me"

Foundational essays for a new school of thought

The only other reviewer (to date) has made a fair point about the density of the essays collected here and the relative obscurity of some of the subject matter. But he/she has missed the larger point of this whole volume by dwelling on the perceived shortcomings of a single article. Until recently, scholars of American Studies, literature, and history have largely ignored the role of imperialism in the development of American culture. Since the early 1990s, some scholars have attempted to set this right by paying more attention to issues like immigration, race and gender identity, travel, and American empire (Philippines, Cuba, Panama, etc.). This collection of essays brings together some of the finest scholars who have worked in this area during the past decade: Amy Kaplan, Donald Pease, Walter Benn Michaels, John Carlos Rowe, Kenneth Warren, and many more. Their work is certainly of the academic variety, and it can be frustrating to readers who are searching for clear-cut, black-or-white arguments. But as a self-described democracy with a protracted history of slavery, institutionalized racism and sexism, and shady imperialist ventures, U.S. culture defies simple, straightforward answers. The writers of these essays understand this difficulty and theorize accordingly. Anyone seeking to understand a fairly recent but very significant development in American Studies, history and literature would be highly advised to puruse this volume. It will continue to play a major role in each of those disciplines for at least the next decade. Still, I acknowledge the other reviewer's frustration and want to point out this is definitely NOT light reading. And some of the essays are far more intellectually rigorous than others. However, if you start with Kaplan's excellent introduction, you should get a sense of what the collective goal of these scholars is, and you can get a handle on what each of them writes -- even if a particular essay isn't very stimulating.