1 / 22

The Making of Modern America: The United States Since 1920

Delve into the transformation of the United States since 1920, exploring themes of modernity vs. traditionalism, race, government, democracy, and more. Uncover the myth of America as a mission and the concept of "American Exceptionalism." Join the class on Wednesdays at 11 am and 12 noon, or Thursdays at 10 am. Website: www.ucl.ac.uk/~ucraasm. Be inspired by quotes from Ronald Reagan and Jean Baudrillard, understanding America's unique position in global ideologies and its impact on the world. Discover the essence of America as a nation with extreme possibilities. Available topics include economic growth, cultural impact, democracy, and national identity.

richardmdouglas
Download Presentation

The Making of Modern America: The United States Since 1920

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. The Making of Modern America:The United States Since 1920

  2. The Making of Modern America Class times: Wednesdays11am and 12 noon Thursdays 10am Website: www.ucl.ac.uk/~ucraasm

  3. Images of America?

  4. Key concept: “American Exceptionalism” • Myth of New World : tabula rasa • A city on a hill: America as mission • Last Best Hope of Earth: democracy, secular mission • Leader of the “Free World”

  5. I have always believed that this anointed land was set apart in an uncommon way, that a divine plan placed this great continent here between the oceans to be founded by people from every corner of the earth who have a special love of faith and freedom. Ronald Reagan, 1981

  6. America is anti-Utopia achieved: the anti-Utopia of unreason ... the neutralisation of all values, the death of culture... America is a world completely rotten with wealth, power, senility, indifference, Puritanism ... poverty and waste, technological futility and aimless violence ... the only country where quantity can be extolled without compunction. Jean Baudrillard,1986

  7. “America is a continent and a nation which has held in suspense all the extreme possibilities -- hopes and fears alike -- for the future of mankind under democracy, and continues to enact them for itself and for much of Europe and the rest of the world.” Marcus Cunliffe, "European Images of America", in Arthur M. Schlesinger and Morton White, eds., Paths of American Thought (Boston, 1963), p. 512.

  8. “It has been America’s fate not to have ideologies but to be one.” Richard Hofstadter, 1961

  9. Some key themes • Modernity v tradtionalism • Race (and where is class?) • Role of government • Conceptions of world role • Economic growth and its cultural impact • Democracy, participation and identity

More Related