Fortress America by Elaine Tyler May

Fortress America by Elaine Tyler May

An award-winning historian argues that America's obsession with security imperils our democracy in this compelling portrait of cultural anxiety (Mary L. Dudziak, author of War Time).

For the last sixty years, fear has seeped into every area of American life: Americans own more guns than citizens of any other country, sequester themselves in gated communities, and retreat from public spaces. And yet, crime rates have plummeted, making life in America safer than ever. Why, then, are Americans so afraid-and where does this fear lead to?

In this remarkable work of social history, Elaine Tyler May demonstrates how our obsession with security has made citizens fear each other and distrust the government, making America less safe and less democratic. Fortress America charts the rise of a muscular national culture, undercutting the common good. Instead of a thriving democracy of engaged citizens, we have become a paranoid, bunkered, militarized, and divided vigilante nation.

May, Elaine Tyler: - Elaine Tyler May is the Regents Professor in the Departments of American Studies and History at the University of Minnesota. She is the author books including America and the Pill, Homeward Bound, and Barren in the Promised Land, which received Honorable Mention for the William J. Goode Book Award. The former president of the American Studies Association and the Organization of American Historians, May has contributed to Ms., the Los Angeles Times, the New York Times, and the Chronicle of Higher Education, among other publications.

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9780465055920
ISBN 10	0465055923
Title	Fortress America
Author	Elaine Tyler May
Condition	Unavailable
Binding Type	Hardback
Publisher	Basic Books
Year published	2017-12-12
Number of pages	256
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.