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American Identities in a Divided America. 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?.
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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?
The “homogeniety” of the 1950s • Homogeneity? The 1950s • Cold War Consensus • Class convergence (?) • Liberals All • John Kouwenhoven and David Potter
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
Kouwenhoven • Focus on architecture & material culture • A National Style - design characteristics • Vernacular, not high style • Grid • Improvisation within a structure • Process not product • Modularity
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
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
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”
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
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
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
Higham 3Unity through technology • Developing from early 19th century • Embrace of rationalization • Diffusion of technical values
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
1950s and 1960sDid Technology Homogenize? • Fears of standardization • Ford • Telephone • Levittown & Suburbia • “Little Boxes” "A Day's Output of Model Ts, Highland Park," 1915.
Levittown today • Houses transformed • Retain high real estate value • http://tigger.uic.edu/~pbhales/Levittown.html
Homogenization? • Supermarket • Multi channel • e-marketing • Food at Ellis Island
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
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
Democrats • Women • African Americans • Hispanic Americans • Asian Americans • Educated whites • Under 35 • Unions • Urban • Is this a Coalition?
Republicans • Evangelicals • Conservative Catholics • Wall Street • “Dixicans” • Elderly • Rural areas • Suburban whites • Is this a Coalition?
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
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