Reclaiming Patriotism in an Age of Extremes

254 Pages·2021·3.218 MB·English

by  Steven B. Smith

RECLAIMING PATRIOTISM
IN AN AGE OF EXTREMES
This page intentionally left blank
Reclaiming
Patriotism in an
Age of Extremes
STEVEN B. SMITH
New Haven and London
Published with assistance from the foundation established in memory of
Amasa Stone Mather of the Class of 1907, Yale College.
Copyright © 2021 by Steven B. Smith.
All rights reserved.
This book may not be reproduced, in whole or in part, including illus-
trations, in any form (beyond that copying permitted by Sections 107
and 108 of the U.S. Copyright Law and except by reviewers for the
public press), without written permission from the publishers.
“Land of Hope and Dreams” by Bruce Springsteen, copyright © 2000
Bruce Springsteen (Global Music Rights); reprinted by permission;
international copyright secured. All rights reserved.
Excerpt from The Adventures of Augie March by Saul Bellow, copyright
1949, 1951, 1952, 1953, renewed © 1977, 1979, 1980, 1981 by Saul Bellow;
used by permission of Viking Books, an imprint of Penguin Publishing
Group, a division of Penguin Random House LLC. All rights reserved.
Yale University Press books may be purchased in quantity for educa-
tional, business, or promotional use. For information, please e-mail
[email protected] (U.S. offi ce) or [email protected] (U.K. offi ce).
Set in Janson and Monotype Van Dijk types by IDS Infotech Ltd.
Printed in the United States of America.
ISBN 978-0-300-25404 4 (hardcover : alk. paper)
Library of Congress Control Number: 2020942570
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
This paper meets the requirements of ANSI/NISO Z39.48-1992 (Per-
manence of Paper).
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
To Rick and Jane Levin
and the things we care about
This page intentionally left blank
I am an American, Chicago born.
—saul bellow, The Adventures of Augie March
This page intentionally left blank
Contents
Preface xi
Introduction 1
one. Patriotism and Loyalty 11
two. Patriotism and Its Critics 35
three. Patriotism, Ancient and Modern 68
four. Nationalism and Cosmopolitanism 106
five. Enlightened Patriotism 143
six. Reclaiming Patriotism 185
Notes 205
Index 229