Empire in retreat : the past, present, and future of the United States / Victor Bulmer-Thomas.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Bulmer-Thomas, V., author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Land settlement--United States--Historiography.

Land settlement.

Imperialism.

United States--Foreign relations.

United States.

United States--Territorial expansion--Political aspects.

Genre:

History.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (480 pages) : illustrations

Other Title:

Past, present, and future of the United States

Place of Publication:

New Haven, Connecticut : Yale University Press, [2018]

Language Note:

In English.

Summary:

A sweeping history of the United States through the lens of empire-and an incisive look forward as the nation retreats from the global stage A respected authority on international relations and foreign policy, Victor Bulmer†'Thomas offers a grand survey of the United States as an empire. From its territorial expansion after independence, through hegemonic rule following World War II, to the nation's current imperial retreat, the United States has had an uneasy relationship with the idea of itself as an empire. In this book Bulmer†'Thomas offers three definitions of empire-territorial, informal, and institutional-that help to explain the nation's past and forecast a future in which the United States will cease to play an imperial role. Arguing that the move toward diminished geopolitical dominance reflects the aspirations of most U.S. citizens, he asserts that imperial retreat does not necessarily mean national decline and may ultimately strengthen the nation†'state. At this pivotal juncture in American history, Bulmer†'Thomas's uniquely global perspective will be widely read and discussed across a range of fields.

Contents:

Frontmatter

CONTENTS

List of Maps

List of Figures

Preface

Acknowledgments

List of Abbreviations

Introduction

Part One. The Territorial Empire

One. Continental Expansion

Two. Mexico and Central America

Three. Africa and the Pacific

Four. The Caribbean

Part Two. The Semiglobal Empire

Five. Institutions

Six. Nonstate Actors

Seven. The Empire in Action

Eight. The Unipolar Moment

Part Three. The Empire in Retreat

Nine. Anti-Imperialism in the United States

Ten. The US Economy

Eleven. The Decline of Leadership

Twelve. Hegemony under Threat

Epilogue

Notes

Bibliography

Index

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages [419]-444) and index.

Description based on print version record.

ISBN:

0-300-23519-4

OCLC:

1026492263