America for Americans: A History of Xenophobia in the United States Lee, Erika

America for Americans: A History of Xenophobia in the United States Lee, Erika

Book is in good condition! There is light wear from use. The pages are clean with no marks.

This comprehensive account of American xenophobia serves as "essential reading for individuals seeking to foster a more inclusive society" (Ibram X. Kendi, bestselling author of How to Be an Antiracist). The United States is renowned as a nation shaped by immigration, but it is also a nation marked by xenophobia. Within America for Americans, Erika Lee illustrates that an irrational fear, animosity, and antagonism towards immigrants have constituted a defining characteristic of our nation since its colonial origins and persisting through the Trump era. Benjamin Franklin derided Germans for their "peculiar and foreign customs," while the trepidation of Irish Catholics within America fostered the emergence of a national political movement steeped in xenophobia. Chinese immigrants faced exclusion, Japanese Americans endured internment, and Mexicans were subjected to mass deportations. Today, Americans harbor apprehension towards Muslims, Latinos, and the perceived "browning" of America. By compelling us to confront this historical narrative, Lee elucidates the mechanics of xenophobia, its enduring nature, and the threat it poses to the United States. This updated edition includes an afterword that reflects upon how the xenophobia intensified amid the coronavirus pandemic, making America for Americans an urgent call to action for all conscientious citizens.

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