Empire of Illusion? America’s problem with contemporary public discourse

• Authors: Tomasz Herzog
• Languages of publication: EN

Abstracts

EN

This article argues that a strong sense of exceptionalism that has informed the national character of the United States over the last two centuries has also resulted with some negative, domestic and international, implications. It has diminished the quality of public discourse in America and undermined the US position in the international community. The recent Great Recession, military conflicts the US has been engaged in, a sharp economic and social disparity within the American society lead to questioning the validity of the American Dream. The US revival is possible only through making the American experience ethically and spiritually grounded and meaningful. It is argued that education should play an instrumental role in improving the quality of public discourse, and building civil society.

PL

Artykuł stawia tezę, że silne poczucie amerykańskiej wyjątkowości, będące częścią charakteru narodowego USA rodzi również pewne negatywne implikacje na poziomie krajowym, jak i międzynarodowym. Obniżyło ono jakość dyskursu publicznego, a także wpłynęło na pozycję USA w stosunkach międzynarodowych. Recesja ekonomiczna, zaangażowanie w konflikty zbrojne oraz silne ekonomiczne i społeczne nierówności podważyły wiarygodność amerykańskiego mitu. Etyczne i duchowe zakorzenienie amerykańskiego doświadczenia może być ważnym czynnikiem odrodzenia USA. Istotną rolę dla poprawy jakości amerykańskiego dyskursu publicznego oraz wzmocnienia społeczeństwa obywatelskiego ma do odegrania edukacja.

Keywords

EN

United States of America; Political culture; political myth; political discourse; civic education; exceptionalism; United States of America; Political culture; political myth; political discourse; civic education; exceptionalism

PL

Stany Zjednoczone Ameryki; kultura polityczna; mit polityczny; dyskurs polityczny; edukacja obywatelska; wyjątkowość

• Publisher: Uniwersytet im. Adama Mickiewicza w Poznaniu
• Journal: Przegląd Politologiczny
• Year: 2014
• Issue: 4
• Pages: 65-75

Dates

published

2014-12-01

Contributors

author

Tomasz Herzog

• Uniwersytet Maine w Presque Isle, College of Education (USA)

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Identifiers

DOI

10.14746/pp.2014.19.4.4