American Civilization

David Mauk is Professor Emeritus of North American Area Studies at the University of Oslo, Norway, and is the author of The Colony That Rose from the Sea: Norwegian Maritime Migration and Community in Brooklyn (1997) and many articles on American politics, immigration and ethnicity, including chapters in E Pluribus Unum or E Pluribus Plura? Unity and Diversity in American Culture (2011), Norwegian American Women (2011) and Norwegian-American Essays (2014, 2015).Alf Tomas Tønnessen is Associate Professor of English (teaching mainly American Civilization and Didactics) at the University of Agder, Norway, and is the author of How Two Political Entrepreneurs Helped Create the American Conservative Movement, 1973–1981: The Ideas of Richard Viguerie and Paul Weyrich (2009).John Oakland is the author of British Civilization (2019, now in its ninth edition), Irish Civilization (2012, with Arthur Aughey), Contemporary Britain (2001) and British Civilization: A Student’s Dictionary (2003, second edition). He is a former associate professor in English at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology.Hilde Eliassen Restad is Associate Professor at Oslo New University College. She is the author of American Exceptionalism: An Idea that Made a Nation and Remade the World (Routledge) and co-editor of the forthcoming American Exceptionalism and U.S. Foreign Policy: How Narratives Shape the United States in the World (Georgetown University Press).

Restad and Tønnessen’s updated American Civilization couldn’t be more timely. Importantly, the new edition’s engaging language and accessible structure invites ongoing inquiry into major themes in American history without losing sight of the challenges to U.S. institutions since the 2024 presidential election. I highly recommend this textbook.Laura Castor, Professor emerita of English literature and culture, UiT Norway’s Arctic UniversityHighly readable, wide-ranging, and carefully organised, the new edition of American Civilization is a timely and accessible study of the peoples, ideas, and forces that shape and have shaped the present-day United States. Deeply rooted in historical contexts, and inclusive of diverse and discordant perspectives and experiences, the volume probes ongoing struggles to define American nationhood and identity.Dr Rachel Williams, Lecturer in American History, University of HullAmerican Civilization offers a fresh and stimulating introduction to the central themes of American life, including the challenges the United States faces in the Trump era. Well-written, authoritative, and with a range of engaging activities, the book provides an excellent overview and suggestions for further in-depth study.Andrew Priest, Senior Lecturer in United States History, University of Essex

• Chapter 1American Civilization: An IntroductionWho are the Americans?A Free Haven for Religious Freedom?Political-legal system: You have the right to remain silent!The US Economy: The American Dream or the American Nightmare?National Identity: A Tricky IssueExercisesWebsitesChapter 2The Americans: A Nation of Immigrants?Mother of ExilesEarly encounters between Europeans and Native AmericansThe settler-colonistsThe first wave of European immigration: colonial immigration, 1680-1776Settlers vs. Natives: Conquest and removal, 1783-1860The second wave of European immigration: the “old” immigrants, 1820-1890Settlers vs. Native Americans: War, concentration, and forced assimilation, 1860-1934The third wave of European immigration: the “new” immigrants from Eastern Europe, 1890-1930Americans vs. Native Americans: Tribal restoration and termination, 1934-1970The fourth wave: Global immigration from 1965 to the presentExercisesWebsitesChapter 3A More Perfect Union? Race, Gender, and the American PromiseWhat is “American” history? The reason for American women’s and minority historyWomen in the United StatesAfrican Americans/Black AmericansLesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender AmericansAsian AmericansLatino AmericansNative AmericansExercisesWebsitesChapter 4ReligionReligious historyContemporary US religionChurch, state and politicsReligion and educationExercisesWebsitesChapter 5Political institutions: The federal governmentHistorical originsThe Constitutional FrameworkThe political partiesThe legislative branchThe executive branchPresidential electionsCampaign financingReform the system?The judicial branchExercisesWebsitesChapter 6Political Institutions: State and Local GovernmentThe place of government in American federalismThe evolution of state government and federalism in the USThe structure of state governmentLocal governmentExercisesWebsitesChapter 7Foreign Policy: An Exceptional Empire?A nation apart? American attitudes to world affairsFrom neutrality to civil war, 1776-1861From expansionism to imperialism, 1765-1914America First vs, Leader of the Free World, 1914-1945Superpower: The Cold War era, 1946-1992The “end of history”? From the “unipolar moment” to the Global War on TerrorThe foreign policy establishment debateExercisesWebsitesChapter 8The Legal SystemPresident Trump, the FBI and the Department of JusticeLegal historyThe sources of US lawThe court systemFederal and state court proceedingsThe legal professionCrime and punishmentAttitudes to the legal systemExercisesWebsitesChapter 9The EconomyEconomic historyAmerican economic liberalism: theory and practiceSocial class and economic inequalityThe contemporary economyIndustry, manufacturing and energyService industriesAgriculture, forestry and fisheriesEnvironmental issuesFinancial and industrial institutionsAttitudes to the economic systemExercisesWebsitesChapter 10Social ServicesSocial services historyThe organization of contemporary social servicesPublic social servicesThe needy and the poverty lineVoluntary servicesHealthcareHousingAttitudes to social servicesExercisesWebsitesChapter 11EducationAmerican attitudes to education: high expectationsAmerican educational historyElementary and secondary schoolsPrivate elementary and secondary schoolsHigher educationRecent problems and policy debatesExercisesWebsitesChapter 12 The MediaMedia historyFreedom of the mediaThe contemporary print mediaThe contemporary broadcasting mediaThe Internet and new media sourcesAttitudes to the mediaExercisesWebsites