American Identities in a Divided America

1. American Identities in a Divided America

4. Outline • The 1950s sense of unity • The (Dis)integration of national identity? • John Higham’s argument (1974) • What happened to homogeneity? • Technology and the question of American character • An increasing sense of division?

5. The 1950s sense of unity

6. The “homogeniety” of the 1950s • Homogeneity? The 1950s • Cold War Consensus • Class convergence (?) • Liberals All • John Kouwenhoven and David Potter

7. David Potter,People of Plenty 1954 • US shaped by special circumstance • Excess land, food, • Grew faster than other economies 1776-1950. • National traits shaped by plenty • Optimistic, “can-do,” future orientation • Mobile - opportunity seeking • Work will bring success • Reject state as solution • Embrace and develop advertising

8. Kouwenhoven • Focus on architecture & material culture • A National Style - design characteristics • Vernacular, not high style • Grid • Improvisation within a structure • Process not product • Modularity

9. 1960s: Critiques of Kouwenhoven and Potter • White Americans • Civil Rights Movement • Social class • Women? • Ethnic minorities • Tend to assume national unity and describe it, rather than prove it exists • Shift toward studies of smaller groups • Community, not the nation • Diversity, not unity

10. The (Dis)integration of US History?

11. John Higham, “Hanging Together” • 1974 American Historical Association presidential address • Against backdrop of shift to micro-histories (ethnic-labor-women, etc.) • Searching for general patterns to explain unity • But young scholars focusing on diversity

12. Higham 1. Primordial unity • 17th c. Americans bound to neighbors, to kin • Linked to a specific place • Not necessarily an ethnic feeling • Settler communities in mid west • Distinct Indian tribes (not Pan-Indian ethnicity) • “modern ethnic group is a federation of primordial collectivities”

13. Higham, pp 7-82.0 Ideology • Ideology is nottradition • Ideology not mythology • an explicit system of beliefs that provides • A shared identity • A common program of action • A sense of history • A standard for self-criticism

14. Higham 2.1 Religious ideology • Evolves from 18th century • Specific beliefs for each denomination • Endless debate and splits, e.g. about transubstantiation • Inclusive truths • Free choice of Xtian faith, but should be Xtian • Providential guidance of the nation toward a better society - I.e. Kingdom of God was secular • Ritual form: the camp meeting

15. Higham 2.2 Political ideology • Also evolves from middle 18th century • Multiplicity of groups • Checks & balances • Collective mission to improve nation • Passion for individual liberty • Against strong central power • Ritual forms: political conventions

16. Higham 3Unity through technology • Developing from early 19th century • Embrace of rationalization • Diffusion of technical values

17. Higham 3.1 • “In subjugating matter through the aid of mechanism, human beings come more and more to resemble God.” • Substitution of technique for principles • Technical integration as unity • Realization of perfection in material world • Technological sublime

18. Photograph by Lewis Hine, 1930

20. Technology and homogeneity?

21. 1950s and 1960sDid Technology Homogenize? • Fears of standardization • Ford • Telephone • Levittown & Suburbia • “Little Boxes” "A Day's Output of Model Ts, Highland Park," 1915.

23. Life MagazineLevittown House and family, 1948

24. Levittown today • Houses transformed • Retain high real estate value • http://tigger.uic.edu/~pbhales/Levittown.html

25. Modified houses

27. Homogenization? • Supermarket • Multi channel • e-marketing • Food at Ellis Island

28. An Increasing sense of Division

34. US House Seats, after 2010 election

35. Who supported which party in 2010? Democrats Republicans Cities of 500,000 or more 50,000 – 500,000 10,000 – 50,000 Less than 10,000 Whites in South Aged 18-29 Source: New York Times,10 Nov. 2010 65% 34% 53 47 44 56 36 64 27 73 58 42

36. American Anti-urban Tradition • Jefferson • Thoreau, Emerson • Middle landscape • Flight to suburbs, from c. 1840 • Cities viewed as corrupt, dangerous • But, Rural US in 19 c not always conservative • Emerson, Thoreau, etc. supported abolition

38. Democrats • Women • African Americans • Hispanic Americans • Asian Americans • Educated whites • Under 35 • Unions • Urban • Is this a Coalition?

39. Republicans • Evangelicals • Conservative Catholics • Wall Street • “Dixicans” • Elderly • Rural areas • Suburban whites • Is this a Coalition?

42. Conclusions

43. Conclusions (1) • Americans exaggerate their differences • War and Crisis forge (temporary) consensus • World War II and Cold War • During Vietnam divisiveness reasserted • Polarization increased after 1990 • Persistence of older patterns – eg religion • Edwards and Franklin

44. American polarization Love of mechanical perfection Multicultural Value Diversity Ecumenical State needed as regulator Want Social Security, Medicare Philanthropic Support gun control Pro-choice • Pastoral (anti-urban) • Melting pot • Value Standardization • Fundamentalist Religion • Local control, anti-statist • Individualistic • Resistance to Welfare • Right to bear arms • Anti-abortion

45. aftertheamericancentury.blogspot.com/