Saturday, July 24, 2004

 

My dissertation, put briefly

Put briefly, my dissertation is about how antebellum American abolitionists wrestled intellectually with the ideals of cosmopolitanism and patriotism, and about how these ideals were entangled with their actual experiences as transnational activists. It is both a transnational history of American abolitionism, and a history of abolitionist transnationalism. I focus mainly on the radical acolytes of William Lloyd Garrison, who for over thirty years published the same motto on the masthead of his antislavery newspaper, the Liberator: "Our Country is the World -- Our Countrymen are All Mankind."

In a four-volume biography of their father, Garrisons' sons later identified this as their father's favorite slogan. The Garrisonians thought of themselves as pretty cosmopolitan people, and to a greater extent than many realize, they were. They often traveled overseas, both literally and imaginatively. They corresponded voluminously with friends abroad. They read and talked extensively about foreign affairs: the European revolutions of 1848, the Irish Repeal movement, British abolitionism, and other international issues ricocheted in their rhetoric. I want to know, in a general way, why abolitionists paid attention to such things and how they understood them.

But I'm even more concerned with the issues contained in the phrase: "Our Country is the World." The motto begs the questions: how did abolitionists think about their "country," how did they think about the "world," and how were these related? To put it in our contemporary argot, how did they weigh the comparative merits of patriotism and cosmopolitanism?

On the one hand, "Our Country is the World" was a way of expressing their antislavery principles, an imaginative expression of solidarity with the enslaved everywhere. And such principles were opposed to the facile patriotism that many Americans used to excuse slavery for the sake of national unity. (Another popular political slogan in antebellum political culture was "Our Country, Right or Wrong," which despite sharing the first two words with Garrison's favorite motto, swerved dramatically away from it in its final three.) Yet as I will also show, the Garrisonians did not repudiate patriotism altogether. They engaged in complex debates about when patriotism was justified, and when cosmopolitanism was more justified--debates which were informed by their own encounters with people and ideas outside the borders of the United States.

I think that's as much as I want to say now; it's a springboard more than a complete statement. Rather than giving a complete outline of my dissertation in one post, I've decided to start with this brief and hopefully suggestive summary of a few of its themes. This will preserve what I hope will be the exploratory character of this blog; instead of putting all my cards on the table, I want to learn gradually what cards might be up my sleeve.

Later posts will show that these historical interests are reflective of my contemporary political concerns. Scholars often insist that academic scholarship should keep these things separate; this blog, I hope, will be a more flexible space. I might as well say that I see something not just of historical value in "Our Country is the World," but also something of moral value that is worth recovering and preserving today. Even now, Americans are engaged in complex debates about the value of thinking and feeling beyond the nation, as one collection of academic essays puts it. Is it possible to be both a cosmopolitan and a patriot? Are those who criticize America unpatriotic? And are those who are patriotic therefore less cosmopolitan?

Debates among political theorists about cosmopolitanism, globalization, and patriotism have spilled into the public sphere, especially since September 11, 2001. In the last week Linda Ronstadt has been hounded for calling Michael Moore a "great American patriot," and our current political climate has made defining love of country an important subject of debate. Garrison's contemporaries debated the same questions; some accused him of hating his country and others defended him as the only true patriot. I point this out not to equate Moore with Garrison, but to demonstrate that the possibility of a progressive patriotism is not something you can only read about in dusty books. Nor, conversely, is it something that you can only read about on a world-wide web; there is a longer history here that needs to be retold and understood.

At the root of my dissertation is a cluster of questions that has relevance still. What does it mean to love one's country? What does it mean to be a "citizen of the world"? I hope to historicize these questions as they entered the minds and lives of abolitionists, but I hope that by doing so I can understand something about ourselves and our world too.


Collective Improvisation:
Intriguing dissertation and I really like hwat you have to say about progressive patriotism. Drop me an email sometime. As Carlos just noted on his blog, historians have to stick together!  

Posted by Streak

Posted by Anonymous Anonymous on 12/21/2004 06:14:00 PM : Permalink  

You must did tough job by completing dissertation on this type of topic. Usually people select topics which they experienced already or the can get helped easily. Good Luck

Dissertation Proposal

Posted by Blogger chris mark on 3/26/2012 06:00:00 PM : Permalink  

Wow, dissertation that deals about progressive patriotism! I think it is really a challenging topic to anyone that are writing dissertation. And from the looks of it, you certainly write it well. Anyway, have you already publish and posted it online. I sure like to read the whole paper.

Posted by Anonymous Janice Long on 6/17/2013 01:26:00 AM : Permalink  

This is very much a work in progress whenever I find out about one who essay writing service is more beautiful than any of these I will add her and kick out number ten Thanks for sharing the informative post. write my essay

Posted by Blogger Unknown on 6/19/2016 07:09:00 AM : Permalink  

I really like your modern http://awriter.org/dissertationteam-com-review stylish ideas which you have shared about manipulative. This blog provide extraordinary and exact information for which I was searching.

Posted by Blogger Unknown on 7/26/2016 07:41:00 PM : Permalink  

good website. I like it very much. online hack for pixel gun .keep posting and sharing.

Posted by Blogger nish gau on 9/30/2016 01:47:00 AM : Permalink  

Here we have some pieces of information and it gives an idea about the way of writing a dissertation. It was brilliant and we got some valuable lessons about dissertation through your post. Essay writing service reviews

Posted by Blogger Unknown on 3/08/2017 12:52:00 AM : Permalink  

What a nice post you have shared here. I love this site which contain very valuable and informative posts. Continue to sharing such posts here.
casio

Posted by Anonymous javeed on 5/07/2017 03:04:00 PM : Permalink  

This topic of Natural Healing is very controversial in our society yet so misunderstood and lacking as far as educating the public on why many sicknesses and diseases occur in the first place. Since I almost died from my disease and learned there is an alternative to medication and surgery. I love the Natural Way the Best.
as homework

Posted by Blogger mayazoe on 6/09/2017 04:15:00 AM : Permalink  

Thank you for taking the time and sharing this information with us. It was indeed very helpful and insightful while being straight forward and to the point.
www.mcdonaldsgutscheine.net/ | www.Startlr.com/ | www.SaludLimpia.com/

Posted by Blogger KarlDeville on 8/13/2017 05:23:00 PM : Permalink  


Great site and a great topic as well I really get amazed to read this. It’s really good. I like viewing web sites which comprehend the price of delivering the excellent useful resource free of charge. Assignment help | Assignment Expert | Marketing Assignment help | Law Assignment help

Posted by Blogger Unknown on 12/21/2017 06:17:00 AM : Permalink  

It might seem boring to write an Ignou MFNP12 Project on every topic. The best way to get the project is Ignou synopsis help from legitimate platforms. For more information on academic writing services available online, visit our website. Need urgent Ignou MEC Project help? Get high-quality online project help from Ignou synopsis experts by connecting with us now.

Posted by Blogger Becker on 11/20/2021 03:57:00 AM : Permalink  

HBO Max allows users to stream video on demand, including series, movies, sports, and more in one place. Get all the details about the hbomax.com tvsignin code Enter Code site in this article and stream HBO Max shows on your tv.hbomax com tvsignin It is necessary for the activation purpose that you need to enter hbomax com tvsign activation code which is a 6 digit in alphanumeric code. hbo max tvcode is an American OTT video streaming system that gives films, television shows, and sports on consumer demand.

Posted by Blogger JISOO on 11/29/2021 03:11:00 AM : Permalink  

Hbomax is the go-to organization for most people to watch recordings today. Whether you need to watch instructional exercises, movies, or even web series, Hbomax has it and as a result it is the most standard video medium and continuous site to date. hbomax.com/tvsignin code

Posted by Blogger Qunock6987 on 11/29/2021 04:24:00 AM : Permalink  

Although you can watch Hbomax on any cell as long as it has video support and web affiliation the same as on PCs with a web browser compatible with web availability. watching Hbomax on TV is an alternative luxury hbo Max tvcode. Hbomax com tvsignin

Posted by Blogger Qunock6987 on 11/29/2021 04:24:00 AM : Permalink  

Hire our Business Law Assignment Help for your business management dissertation work. The online assignment helps allow you to do your work on time. Moreover, our subject matter experts perform intense research on the subjects from genuine resources to ensure that you get quality work.

Posted by Blogger Jone Marsh on 12/17/2021 07:08:00 AM : Permalink  

Exceptional the majority of industrial laws are focused with business authority. Our professionals give students with interesting and well-written Business Law Assignment solutions that are easy to understand and help them achieve their academic goals through a system of attainable goals. Business Law Assignment Help

Posted by Blogger Leo Oliver on 2/17/2022 02:38:00 PM : Permalink  

This site is one thing that is required on the internet, someone with a little originality. Nice shared! Once more thanks for sharing. Also check jamb past questions and answers on government

Posted by Blogger Essien on 4/06/2022 04:29:00 AM : Permalink  

This latest data shows a desire to return to in-person meetings, finding that nearly one-quarter (24 percent) of business travelers now plan to take more trips to attend conferences/conventions/trade shows than pre-pandemic. event management Also reported is that 43 percent plan to travel the same amount, while 17 percent expect to travel less, and 16 percent were not sure. debrief example, event organization software, swag box ideas, experiential marketing definition, website for event registration, speaker introduction example, vendor set up ideas, thank you note after an event and email invatation

Posted by Blogger Karin on 4/09/2022 06:16:00 AM : Permalink  

It plays a significant role in the lives of the people. Jobs like accounting, finance, banking, etc., are all related to mathematics. One must have a robust Mathematical background for recruitment in such fields. It helps in analytical thinking. A math-related problem could be solved by collecting, disassembling, and interconnecting the dataMy Assignment Help provides information regarding mathematics growing field(s).

We also offer below Service:

Microeconomics Homework Help Online

Microeconomics Assignment Help

Online Nursing Assignment Help

Nursing Assignment Help

Posted by Blogger John Smith on 4/14/2022 06:56:00 AM : Permalink  

Research a total of 12 models (one for each ship type and casualty type) are estimated using standard econometric techniques to see if the effect of interest can be filtered out and whether it has changed over time. The article focuses on the North Atlantic and Arctic regions because changes in oceanographic conditions have been documented in the literature Nursing dissertation help USA, and the North Atlantic is commonly used as a baseline for regulatory dissertation developments due to its harsh conditions. The article focuses on significant wave height and wind strength, but other variables (ice conditions, precipitation, and visibility) may be of interest in the future if data is available to redo a similar analysis and be extended to other shipping areas.

Posted by Anonymous DissertationApp on 11/21/2022 10:03:00 AM : Permalink  

Economics assignment help is a valuable resource for students who are struggling with their economics coursework. Economics is a complex and challenging subject, and even the brightest students can benefit from professional assistance.

Posted by Blogger Amit Kushwah on 11/04/2023 08:58:00 AM : Permalink  

Post a Comment

Back to Main Page

Site Meter