| Understanding America: The Anatomy of an Exceptional Nation Contributor(s): Schuck, Peter H. (Editor), Wilson, James Q. (Editor) |
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ISBN: 1586486950 ISBN-13: 9781586486952 Publisher: PublicAffairs OUR PRICE: $34.19 Product Type: Paperback - Other Formats Published: April 2009 Annotation: The nation's top scholars explore America's quintessential values, institutions, and challenges |
| Additional Information |
| BISAC Categories: - Political Science | Essays - History | United States - General |
| Dewey: 973.918 |
| Physical Information: 1.9" H x 6.1" W x 9.2" (2.35 lbs) 704 pages |
| Descriptions, Reviews, Etc. |
| Publisher Description: What is America? Is it a hegemonic superpower, composed of ruthlessly selfish capitalists? Or is it a land of hope and glory, a shelter for the huddled masses, and a beacon of freedom and enlightenment? The definition of this complex nation has been debated substantially, yet all seem to agree on one thing: it is unique. The idea of an exceptional America can be traced all the way back to Alexis de Tocqueville's nineteenth-century observations of a newly formed democracy that seemed determined to distinguish itself from the rest. Little, it seems, has changed. Building on de Tocqueville's concept of American exceptionalism, this collection of essays, contributed by some of the nation's top scholars and thinkers, takes on the weighty task of sizing up America in a way its people and others can comprehend. Far more than simple history, they outline the current state of American institutions and policies -- from the legal system to marriage to the military to the Drug War -- and anticipate where these are headed in the future. |