Democracies in America: Keywords for the 19th Century and Today

Democracies in America explores the diverse meanings of democracy in the long nineteenth century, featuring twenty-five essays by a group of intellectuals. It examines the relationship between America and democracy from multiple disciplinary angles and historical periods, addressing enduring democratic dilemmas and questions. The book provides extensive resources for further study and cultivates a language to deliberate about the possibilities and problems of democracy in America.

Format: Hardback
Length: 336 pages
Publication date: 31 January 2023
Publisher: Oxford University Press

Democracy is a complex and multifaceted concept that elicits diverse perspectives and interpretations. Some view it as a settled institution, yet others perceive it as under threat. Some argue that democracy has always been compromised by the privileged few, while others believe that it has the potential to empower the masses. In the contemporary United States, where constituencies across the political spectrum feel their voices have been ignored, democracy takes on a bewildering array of directions, rendering it nearly incoherent.

Democracies in America serves as a reminder that this reality is not new. The book explores the various meanings of democracy that circulated in the long nineteenth century, focusing on the keywords that shape our understanding of this political system. Penned by a diverse group of intellectuals, the essays delve into both commonplace terms such as citizenship and representation and paradigm-stretching concepts such as disgust and sham. By examining the relationship between America and democracy from multiple disciplinary angles and across different historical periods, the book offers a comprehensive examination of the possibilities and problems of democracy in the United States.

The book frames its keywords around a series of enduring democratic dilemmas and questions, providing extensive resources for further study. It aims to cultivate a language that enables students, teachers, and citizens to deliberate about the possibilities and problems of democracy in America. Through its engaging essays and comprehensive approach, Democracies in America offers a valuable contribution to the ongoing debate about the future of democracy in the United States and beyond.

Weight: 660g
Dimension: 241 x 162 x 26 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780198865698