Rethinking a Nation
Description
The US continues to be the world's most powerful nation, an enormous driver of culture and technology. The present century has witnessed many momentous (and controversial) developments, the full significance of which may take many years to assess. Rethinking a Nation offers an ambitious, historically-informed analysis to help readers understand the current state of US affairs and their likely future course. Providing a survey of US history since 2000, and considering the current state of the nation in light of the events of the past two decades, Philip Jenkins discusses the impact of the 9/11 attacks and the two lengthy wars that ensued; the causes and outcome of the economic near-collapse of 2008; critical debates over the proper role of the state in matters like health care; and the stark decline of traditional industries and working class communities.
At the fore in his exploration are themes of the growing gulf between old and new Americas; the crisis of whiteness; the challenge to masculinity; the pervasive impacts of technology; surging inequality; and the new American role in a multipolar world. With chapters covering topics and issues such as race and immigration, the Obama government, protest movements, gender and sexuality, climate change debates, social media, fracking, the Trump election, and the US in global context, this is an essential text for undergraduate and postgraduate students of American History and anyone seeking to understand the contemporary US.
Reviews / Votes
In this sweeping, thoughtfully organized study of the recent American past, eminent historian Philip Jenkins persuasively argues that the past two decades rank among the most momentous in US history. Rethinking a Nation will be of great interest to those hoping to better understand today's political and cultural landscape. * Paul Renfro, Florida State University, USA * From the culture wars to the war on drugs, Black Lives Matter to #MeToo, this deeply researched and accessible book ensures readers are informed of both the longer term and recent trends shaping the contemporary landscape in the United States. * Christopher Fuller, University of Southampton, UK * It can be hard to make historical sense of our own contemporary moment. But in Rethinking a Nation, Philip Jenkins takes readers on a whirlwind tour of American life in the first two decades of the new century. Along the way, he captures the accelerating changes that are remaking the social, cultural, political and technological worlds we inhabit. A fun, accessible read. * Natasha Zaretsky, Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, USA *More details
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