Consumers' Imperium : The Global Production of American Domesticity, 1865-1920

Histories of the Gilded Age and Progressive Era tend to characterize the United States as an expansionist nation bent on Americanizing the world without being transformed itself. In "Consumers' Imperium," Kristin Hoganson reveals the other half of the story, demonstrating that the years between the Civil War and World War I were marked by heightened consumption of imports and strenuous efforts to appear cosmopolitan. Hoganson finds evidence of international connections in quintessentially domestic places--American households. She shows that well-to-do white women in this era expressed intense interest in other cultures through imported household objects, fashion, cooking, entertaining, armchair travel clubs, and the immigrant gifts movement. From curtains to clothing, from around-the-world parties to arts and crafts of the homelands exhibits, Hoganson presents a new perspective on the United States in the world by shifting attention from exports to imports, from production to consumption, and from men to women. She makes it clear that globalization did not just happen beyond America's shores, as a result of American military might and industrial power, but that it happened at home, thanks to imports, immigrants, geographical knowledge, and consumer preferences. Here is an international history that begins at home.

histories Of The Gilded Age And Progressive Era Tend To Characterize The United States As An Expansionist Nation Bent On Americanizing The World Without Being Transformed Itself. Hoganson Reveals The Other Half Of The Story, Demonstrating That The Years Between The Civil War And World War I Were Marked By Heightened Consumption Of Imports And Strenuous Efforts To Appear Cosmopolitan. Shifting Attention From Exports To Imports, From Production To Consumption, And From Men To Women, Hoganson Makes It Clear That Globalization Did Not Just Happen Beyond America's Shores, As A Result Of American Military Might And Industrial Power, But That It Happened At Home, Thanks To Imports, Immigrants, Geographical Knowledge, And Consumer Preferences.

Contents 7 Acknowledgments 11 Beyond Main Street: Imperial Nightmares and Gopher Prairie Yearnings 15 1 Cosmopolitan Domesticity, Imperial Accessories: Importing the American Dream 27 2 The Fashionable World: Imagined Communities of Dress 71 3 Entertaining Difference: Popular Geography in Various Guises 119 4 Girdling the Globe: The Fictive Travel Movement and the Rise of the Tourist Mentality 167 5 Immigrant Gifts, American Appropriations: Progressive Era Pluralism as Imperialist Nostalgia 223 Conclusion: The Global Production of American Domesticity 265 Appendix of Travel Clubs 271 Notes 293 Bibliography 355 Index 403 From curtains to clothing, from around-the-world parties to arts and crafts of the homelands exhibits, this work presents a different perspective on the United States in the world by shifting attention from exports to imports, from production to consumption, and from men to women. From curtains to clothing, from around-the-world parties to arts and crafts, this work presents different perspectives on the United States in the world by shifting attention from exports to imports, from production to consumption, and from men to women.