![]() ![]() ![]() In general, and I am sharing this observation made by Jill Lepore, most American historians write histories playing out within the American nation, without necessarily writing the history of the American nation. Preliminary Remarks: A Peaceful Coexistence However, before I delve into the discussion and in order to prepare my argument, a couple of preliminary remarks on some wider trajectories in American historiography since the late 20th century are necessary, navigating the troubled waters between various kinds of American, national, and global history. It revolves around the central question, if-given the recent power of ethno-nationalist politics-historians should follow Lepore’s call for “a new Americanism, as tough-minded and openhearted as the nation at its best,” and if refocusing on what Lepore sees as a better history of the nation is an apt response. This controversy has gained new momentum since the recent publication of two books by historian Jill Lepore. In this essay, I discuss the latest controversy over the role of the nation in the history and historiography of the United States. “To love this particular nation is to love the world.” ![]()
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