Rethinking Anti-Americanism : The History of an Exceptional Concept in American Foreign Relations

'Anti-Americanism' is an unusual expression; although stereotypes and hostility exist toward every nation, we do not hear of 'anti-Italianism' or 'anti-Brazilianism'. Only Americans have elevated such sentiment to the level of a world view, an explanatory factor so significant as to merit a name - an 'ism' - usually reserved for comprehensive ideological systems or ingrained prejudice. This book challenges the scholarly consensus that blames criticism of the United States on foreigners' irrational resistance to democracy and modernity. Tracing 200 years of the concept of anti-Americanism, this book argues that it has constricted political discourse about social reform and US foreign policy, from the War of 1812 and the Mexican War to the Cold War, from Guatemala and Vietnam to Iraq. Research in nine countries in five languages, with attention to diplomacy, culture, migration and the circulation of ideas, shows that the myth of anti-Americanism has often damaged the national interest. There Are Two Ways To Write About The History Of Anti-americanism. Until Now, Many Scholars -- The Anti-anti-americans -- Have Taken The Term At Face Value And Assembled Catalogues Of Published Statements Exhibiting Animosity Towards The United States. These Histories Often Convey The Impression Of Continuity, Consistency, And Consensus, So That They In Effect Present A Single, Transnational Tradition Of Anti- Americanism. From Enlightenment Philosophers Deriding The New World's Climate, To Latin American Nationalists Blaming U.s. Imperialism For All Their Countries' Ills, We Are Invited To Contemplate An Apparently Unbroken Chain Of Irrational Hostility, An Enduring Ideological Mindset With A Long Pedigree. Anti-americanism, In The Conventional Approach, Is Understood As An Obsessive And Particular Hatred Of The United States, Expressed In Exaggerated Language, And Traceable To A Fundamental Hostility Toward Democracy, Freedom, And Modernity-- Introduction : The Myth Of Anti-americanism -- History Of A Concept -- Americanism And Anti-americanism -- The Specter Haunting Europe : Anti-americanism And The Cold War -- Bad Neighborhood : Anti-americanism And Latin America -- Myth And Consequences : De Gaulle, Anti-americanism, And Vietnam -- Anti-americanism In The Age Of Protest -- Epilogue : The Anti-american Century? Max Paul Friedman. Includes Index. Includes Bibliographical Refernces And Index. "There are two ways to write about the history of anti-Americanism. Until now, many scholars -- the "anti-anti-Americans"--Have taken the term at face value and assembled catalogues of published statements exhibiting animosity towards the United States. These histories often convey the impression of continuity, consistency, and consensus, so that they in effect present a single, transnational tradition of anti- Americanism. From Enlightenment philosophers deriding the New World's climate, to Latin American nationalists blaming U.S. imperialism for all their countries' ills, we are invited to contemplate an apparently unbroken chain of irrational hostility, an enduring ideological mindset with a long pedigree. Anti-Americanism, in the conventional approach, is understood as an obsessive and particular hatred of the United States, expressed in exaggerated language, and traceable to a fundamental hostility toward democracy, freedom, and modernity"-- Provided by publisher "There are two ways to write about the history of anti-Americanism. Until now, many scholars -- the "anti-anti-Americans" -- have taken the term at face value and assembled catalogues of published statements exhibiting animosity towards the United States. These histories often convey the impression of continuity, consistency, and consensus, so that they in effect present a single, transnational tradition of anti- Americanism. From Enlightenment philosophers deriding the New World's climate, to Latin American nationalists blaming U.S. imperialism for all their countries' ills, we are invited to contemplate an apparently unbroken chain of irrational hostility, an enduring ideological mindset with a long pedigree. Anti-Americanism, in the conventional approach, is understood as an obsessive and particular hatred of the United States, expressed in exaggerated language, and traceable to a fundamental hostility toward democracy, freedom, and modernity."--De l'éditeur