| Fortress America: How We Embraced Fear and Abandoned Democracy Contributor(s): May, Elaine Tyler (Author) |
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ISBN: 1541646525 ISBN-13: 9781541646520 Publisher: Basic Books OUR PRICE: $16.14 Product Type: Paperback - Other Formats Published: March 2020 |
| Additional Information |
| BISAC Categories: - History | United States - 20th Century - History | United States - 21st Century - History | Social History |
| Dewey: 364.109 |
| Physical Information: 0.8" H x 5.5" W x 8.8" (0.65 lbs) 256 pages |
| Themes: - Chronological Period - 20th Century - Sex & Gender - Feminine - Ethnic Orientation - African American - Topical - Black History - Chronological Period - 21st Century - Chronological Period - 1950-1999 |
| Descriptions, Reviews, Etc. |
| Publisher Description: An award-winning historian argues that America's obsession with security imperils our democracy in this "compelling" portrait of cultural anxiety (Mary L. Dudziak, author of War Time). For the last sixty years, fear has seeped into every area of American life: Americans own more guns than citizens of any other country, sequester themselves in gated communities, and retreat from public spaces. And yet, crime rates have plummeted, making life in America safer than ever. Why, then, are Americans so afraid-and where does this fear lead to? In this remarkable work of social history, Elaine Tyler May demonstrates how our obsession with security has made citizens fear each other and distrust the government, making America less safe and less democratic. Fortress America charts the rise of a muscular national culture, undercutting the common good. Instead of a thriving democracy of engaged citizens, we have become a paranoid, bunkered, militarized, and divided vigilante nation. |