AMST 4312 - American Exceptionalism in the Twenty-First Century

Spring. 4 credits.

N. Salvatore.

The idea of American exceptionalism—a belief that the United States has been blessed by a divine power with a mission for the world—has deep roots in the nation’s history. It has justified the extermination of native peoples, explained the persistent territorial expansion across the continent, and simultaneously proclaimed the virtues of this democracy. Until recently, perhaps, the idea has also framed the public face of American foreign policy. In exploring the power of this political and cultural belief, we will spend the first weeks of the semester on key documents and analyses of its origins and early development; the majority of the semester will focus on the era from 1945 to the present. (HI)