The Liberty of Strangers: Making the American Nation

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Author: Desmond King

ISBN-10: 0195306430

ISBN-13: 9780195306439

Category: United States History - 20th Century - General & Miscellaneous

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Spanning the entire twentieth century and encompassing immigration policies, the nationalistic fallout from both world wars, the civil rights movement, and nation-building efforts in the postcolonial era, The Liberty of Strangers advances a major new interpretation of American nationalism and the future prospects for diverse democracies. Tracing how Americans have confronted and relinquished, but mostly clung to group identities over the past century, Desmond King here debunks one of the guiding assumptions of American nationhood, namely that group distinction and identification would gradually dissolve over time, creating a "postethnic" nation. The divisions in American society have consistently proven themselves too strong to dissolve and, for better or for worse, the often-disparaged politics of multiculturalism are here to stay, with profound implications for America's democracy.

1"One people" nationalism32How to become an American253Why not all groups are equal374Choosing new members : the rise of immigration restriction495The drive for authentic Americans : World War I nationalism636World War II and the challenge to assimilation837America abroad at home : international pressures and nationhood1088Renewing the American nation136Conclusion : America's post-multiculturalist settlement167