A republic in time : temporality and social imagination in nineteenth-century America / Thomas M. Allen.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Allen, Thomas M., 1967-

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Space and time--Social aspects--United States--History--19th century.

Space and time.

Space and time--Political aspects--United States--History--19th century.

Nationalism--United States--History--19th century.

Nationalism.

Democracy--United States--History--19th century.

Democracy.

Material culture--United States--History--19th century.

Material culture.

American literature--19th century--History and criticism.

American literature.

Space and time in literature.

United States--Intellectual life--1783-1865.

United States.

United States--Social conditions--To 1865.

United States--Politics and government--1783-1865.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (292 p.)

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Chapel Hill : University of North Carolina Press, c2008.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

The development of the American nation has typically been interpreted in terms of its expansion through space, specifically its growth westward. This book posits time, not space, as the most significant territory of the young nation. It argues that beginning in the nineteenth century, the actual geography of the nation became less important, as Americans imagined the future as their true national territory. The book explores how transformations in the perception of time shaped American conceptions of democratic society and modern nationhood.

Contents:

Introduction: Time and modern nationhood

The future republic

Material time

Clockwork nation

Time in the land

Emerson's deep democracy

Conclusion: The ends of time.

Notes:

Description based upon print version of record.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

979-88-908797-3-8

979-88-9313-205-2

0-8078-6817-5

1-4696-0382-9

OCLC:

779181460