Overview

Finalist, 2016 Ralph Waldo Emerson Award One of Bustle's Books For Your Civil Disobedience Reading List Examines the key role dissent has played in shaping the United States, emphasizing the way Americans responded to injustices Dissent: The History of an American Idea examines the key role dissent has played in shaping the United States. It focuses on those who, from colonial days to the present, dissented against the ruling paradigm of their time: from the Puritan Anne Hutchinson and Native American chief Powhatan in the seventeenth century, to the Occupy and Tea Party movements in the twenty-first century. The emphasis is on the way Americans, celebrated figures and anonymous ordinary citizens, responded to what they saw as the injustices that prevented them from fully experiencing their vision of America. At its founding the United States committed itself to lofty ideals. When the promise of those ideals was not fully realized by all Americans, many protested and demanded that the United States live up to its promise. Women fought for equal rights; abolitionists sought to destroy slavery; workers organized unions; Indians resisted white encroachment on their land; radicals angrily demanded an end to the dominance of the moneyed interests; civil rights protestors marched to end segregation; antiwar activists took to the streets to protest the nation’s wars; and reactionaries, conservatives, and traditionalists in each decade struggled to turn back the clock to a simpler, more secure time. Some dissenters are celebrated heroes of American history, while others are ordinary people: frequently overlooked, but whose stories show that change is often accomplished through grassroots activism. The United States is a nation founded on the promise and power of dissent. In this stunningly comprehensive volume, Ralph Young shows us its history.

Full Product Details

Author:   Ralph Young
Publisher:   New York University Press
Imprint:   New York University Press
Weight:   0.907kg
ISBN:  

9781479819836

ISBN 10:   1479819832
Pages:   640
Publication Date:   07 November 2017
Audience:   Professional and scholarly ,  Professional & Vocational
Format:   Paperback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   Manufactured on demand  
We will order this item for you from a manufactured on demand supplier.

Table of Contents

"Contents Acknowledgments ix Introduction: Dissent and America 1 1. The ""Free Aire of a New World"" 17 2. Dissent in an Age of Reason 34 3. Revolution 57 4. Discord in the New Republic 79 5. Slavery and Its Discontents 108 6. Reformers and Dissidents 133 7. Expansion and Conflict 159 8. Dissent Imperils the Union 173 9. A Nation Divides 191 10. Liberation and Suppression 213 11. Protest and Conflict in the West 234 12. Workers of the World Unite! 256 13. The New Manifest Destiny 275 14. Progressives and Radicals 294 15. Making the World Safe for Democracy 327 16. Traditionalism Collides with Modernism 349 17. A New Deal for America 371 18. The Good War? 393 19. Dissent in an Age of Conformity 407 viii k Contents 20. Civil Rights: An American Revolution 424 21. Make Love, Not War 453 22. Mobilization and Backlash 482 23. A New Age of Dissent 501 Conclusion: The Arc of Dissent 520 Notes 523 Bibliography 549 Index 583 About the Author 603"

Reviews

A beautifully written and impressively comprehensive survey of the history of dissent in America. -Thaddeus Russell,author of A Renegade History of the United States French historian Alexis de Tocqueville warned about 'the tyranny of the majority' in American democracy. This work deals with that important topic from colonial times to the present. Young brings experience and knowledge to this subject...This history will satisfy fans of Howard Zinn, Pete Seeger, and Allen Ginsberg. -Library Journal Temple University historian Young (Dissent in America) delivers a doorstopper that few readers will ever want to misuse in such a manner; his clear and elegant style and a keen eye for good stories make it a page-turner...Young convincingly demonstrates that the history of the United States is inextricably linked to dissent and shows how 'protest is one of the consummate expressions of Americanness.' -STARRED Publishers Weekly One of the great merits of Young's book in his nuanced perspective on events and people that are too often reduced to cliches in our collective memory. -Political Science Quarterly Young takes his readers on a scenic, energetic, nonlinear walk from the seventeenth-century American Colonies to the present United States, suggesting all along the way that American history is, by definition, a history of dissent... The breadth of the historical account and the level of detail Young offers his readers are inspiring, particularly in an age of what he sees as apathetic, social media-driven `slacktivism' and `clicktivism.' -American Political Thought [An] expansive and...impressive account...[Young] excels in story-telling mode. -Popmatters [Young] presents a narrative history of the role of dissent in shaping the United States, foregrounding those who dissented and how Americans have responded to injustices that prevented them from fully experiencing their vision of America. -Journal of Economic Literature A wonderfully erudite and lucid introduction to another 'American dream' that inspired millions around the world. A wise and topical invitation to reappraise global image of American culture today, when we are facing renewed struggle for hearts and minds. -Vladislav Zubok,London School of Economics and Politics The Temple University historian Ralph Young's Dissent, a beautifully written, always-interesting, and analytically smart synthesis of American history, contends that dissent has shaped our world from the Puritans to the Barack Obama presidency...Here is wishing Young's big book a shelf life as long as the works of Hofstadter, Williams, and Zinn. -Journal of American History Ralph Young takes us on a journey from the distant Puritan past to the cultural divisions of the contemporary age, showing that at every step along the way the nation's most powerful and productive force has been its rich tradition of dissent, the willingness of its citizens to cut against the grain of conformity to help build a fairer, more representative democracy. Marked by fast-paced and engaging prose, and filled with important insights and observations, Dissent may be the most important revisionist history of the nation since Howard Zinn's A People's History. -David M. Wrobel,Merrick Chair in Western American History, University of Oklahoma A broad-ranging, evenhanded view of a tradition honed into an art form in America: the use of dissent as 'a critique of governance'...Young has a knack for finding obscure but thoroughly revealing moments of history to illustrate his points; learning about Fries' Rebellion and the Quasi-War with France is worth the price of admission alone, though his narrative offers much more besides...Refreshingly democratic-solid supplemental reading to the likes of Terkel and Alinsky, insistent on upholding the rights of political minorities even when they're wrong. -Kirkus Reviews In deeply conservative times it bears remembering that our nation also has a long and rich history of dissent-- one that always pushes our nation to become more just and humane. Ralph Young's sweeping and powerful account of this history, his rescuing of myriad moments and movements that made our nation fairer and more equal, is a must read for any citizen interested in making a stronger democracy and a better future for our children. -Heather Ann Thompson,Pulitzer-Prize-winning author of Blood in the Water A must-read for anyone interested in how dissent, protest, and other acts of civil disobedience have shaped the United States, Ralph Young's Dissent: The History of an American Idea is a well-researched, 600-plus page tome that covers both the liberal and conservative movements that changed American history. -Bustle.com A sweeping, panoramic narrative that is ambitious in nature, and broad and deep in scope. It provides an alternative history of the United States-indeed of 'America.' It is a history-not from the vantage point of the forgotten or the 'losers,' per se-but from dissenters: those who fought-valiantly, nobly, with great foresight and insight, and often against overwhelming, even impossible, odds and at great cost to themselves-in order to push, pull, shift, and shape the American world around them. -Glenn Feldman,University of Alabama at Birmingham

A sweeping, panoramic narrative that is ambitious in nature, and broad and deep in scope. It provides an alternative history of the United States-indeed of 'America.' It is a history-not from the vantage point of the forgotten or the 'losers,' per se-but from dissenters: those who fought-valiantly, nobly, with great foresight and insight, and often against overwhelming, even impossible, odds and at great cost to themselves-in order to push, pull, shift, and shape the American world around them. -Glenn Feldman,University of Alabama at Birmingham A must-read for anyone interested in how dissent, protest, and other acts of civil disobedience have shaped the United States, Ralph Young's Dissent: The History of an American Idea is a well-researched, 600-plus page tome that covers both the liberal and conservative movements that changed American history. -Bustle.com In deeply conservative times it bears remembering that our nation also has a long and rich history of dissent-- one that always pushes our nation to become more just and humane. Ralph Young's sweeping and powerful account of this history, his rescuing of myriad moments and movements that made our nation fairer and more equal, is a must read for any citizen interested in making a stronger democracy and a better future for our children. -Heather Ann Thompson,Pulitzer-Prize-winning author of Blood in the Water A broad-ranging, evenhanded view of a tradition honed into an art form in America: the use of dissent as 'a critique of governance'...Young has a knack for finding obscure but thoroughly revealing moments of history to illustrate his points; learning about Fries' Rebellion and the Quasi-War with France is worth the price of admission alone, though his narrative offers much more besides...Refreshingly democratic-solid supplemental reading to the likes of Terkel and Alinsky, insistent on upholding the rights of political minorities even when they're wrong. -Kirkus Reviews Ralph Young takes us on a journey from the distant Puritan past to the cultural divisions of the contemporary age, showing that at every step along the way the nation's most powerful and productive force has been its rich tradition of dissent, the willingness of its citizens to cut against the grain of conformity to help build a fairer, more representative democracy. Marked by fast-paced and engaging prose, and filled with important insights and observations, Dissent may be the most important revisionist history of the nation since Howard Zinn's A People's History. -David M. Wrobel,Merrick Chair in Western American History, University of Oklahoma The Temple University historian Ralph Young's Dissent, a beautifully written, always-interesting, and analytically smart synthesis of American history, contends that dissent has shaped our world from the Puritans to the Barack Obama presidency...Here is wishing Young's big book a shelf life as long as the works of Hofstadter, Williams, and Zinn. -Journal of American History A wonderfully erudite and lucid introduction to another 'American dream' that inspired millions around the world. A wise and topical invitation to reappraise global image of American culture today, when we are facing renewed struggle for hearts and minds. -Vladislav Zubok,London School of Economics and Politics [Young] presents a narrative history of the role of dissent in shaping the United States, foregrounding those who dissented and how Americans have responded to injustices that prevented them from fully experiencing their vision of America. -Journal of Economic Literature [An] expansive and...impressive account...[Young] excels in story-telling mode. -Popmatters Young takes his readers on a scenic, energetic, nonlinear walk from the seventeenth-century American Colonies to the present United States, suggesting all along the way that American history is, by definition, a history of dissent... The breadth of the historical account and the level of detail Young offers his readers are inspiring, particularly in an age of what he sees as apathetic, social media-driven 'slacktivism' and 'clicktivism.' -American Political Thought One of the great merits of Young's book in his nuanced perspective on events and people that are too often reduced to cliches in our collective memory. -Political Science Quarterly Temple University historian Young (Dissent in America) delivers a doorstopper that few readers will ever want to misuse in such a manner; his clear and elegant style and a keen eye for good stories make it a page-turner...Young convincingly demonstrates that the history of the United States is inextricably linked to dissent and shows how 'protest is one of the consummate expressions of Americanness.' -STARRED Publishers Weekly French historian Alexis de Tocqueville warned about 'the tyranny of the majority' in American democracy. This work deals with that important topic from colonial times to the present. Young brings experience and knowledge to this subject...This history will satisfy fans of Howard Zinn, Pete Seeger, and Allen Ginsberg. -Library Journal A beautifully written and impressively comprehensive survey of the history of dissent in America. -Thaddeus Russell,author of A Renegade History of the United States

One of the great merits of Young's book in his nuanced perspective on events and people that are too often reduced to cliches in our collective memory. -Political Science Quarterly

A beautifully written and impressively comprehensive survey of the history of dissent in America. -Thaddeus Russell,author of A Renegade History of the United States French historian Alexis de Tocqueville warned about 'the tyranny of the majority' in American democracy. This work deals with that important topic from colonial times to the present. Young brings experience and knowledge to this subject...This history will satisfy fans of Howard Zinn, Pete Seeger, and Allen Ginsberg. -Library Journal Temple University historian Young (Dissent in America) delivers a doorstopper that few readers will ever want to misuse in such a manner; his clear and elegant style and a keen eye for good stories make it a page-turner...Young convincingly demonstrates that the history of the United States is inextricably linked to dissent and shows how 'protest is one of the consummate expressions of Americanness.' -STARRED Publishers Weekly One of the great merits of Young's book in his nuanced perspective on events and people that are too often reduced to cliches in our collective memory. -Political Science Quarterly Young takes his readers on a scenic, energetic, nonlinear walk from the seventeenth-century American Colonies to the present United States, suggesting all along the way that American history is, by definition, a history of dissent... The breadth of the historical account and the level of detail Young offers his readers are inspiring, particularly in an age of what he sees as apathetic, social media-driven `slacktivism' and `clicktivism.' -American Political Thought [An] expansive and...impressive account...[Young] excels in story-telling mode. -Popmatters [Young] presents a narrative history of the role of dissent in shaping the United States, foregrounding those who dissented and how Americans have responded to injustices that prevented them from fully experiencing their vision of America. -Journal of Economic Literature A wonderfully erudite and lucid introduction to another 'American dream' that inspired millions around the world. A wise and topical invitation to reappraise global image of American culture today, when we are facing renewed struggle for hearts and minds. -Vladislav Zubok,London School of Economics and Politics The Temple University historian Ralph Young's Dissent, a beautifully written, always-interesting, and analytically smart synthesis of American history, contends that dissent has shaped our world from the Puritans to the Barack Obama presidency...Here is wishing Young's big book a shelf life as long as the works of Hofstadter, Williams, and Zinn. -Journal of American History Ralph Young takes us on a journey from the distant Puritan past to the cultural divisions of the contemporary age, showing that at every step along the way the nation's most powerful and productive force has been its rich tradition of dissent, the willingness of its citizens to cut against the grain of conformity to help build a fairer, more representative democracy. Marked by fast-paced and engaging prose, and filled with important insights and observations, Dissent may be the most important revisionist history of the nation since Howard Zinn's A People's History. -David M. Wrobel,Merrick Chair in Western American History, University of Oklahoma For those looking for a most impressive compilation on the history of American dissent, Dissent certainly delivers in covering all of its intricacies, trajectories, and complexities through decades of discord and centuries of stridency. -Journal of American Culture A broad-ranging, evenhanded view of a tradition honed into an art form in America: the use of dissent as 'a critique of governance'...Young has a knack for finding obscure but thoroughly revealing moments of history to illustrate his points; learning about Fries' Rebellion and the Quasi-War with France is worth the price of admission alone, though his narrative offers much more besides...Refreshingly democratic-solid supplemental reading to the likes of Terkel and Alinsky, insistent on upholding the rights of political minorities even when they're wrong. -Kirkus Reviews In deeply conservative times it bears remembering that our nation also has a long and rich history of dissent-- one that always pushes our nation to become more just and humane. Ralph Young's sweeping and powerful account of this history, his rescuing of myriad moments and movements that made our nation fairer and more equal, is a must read for any citizen interested in making a stronger democracy and a better future for our children. -Heather Ann Thompson,Pulitzer-Prize-winning author of Blood in the Water A must-read for anyone interested in how dissent, protest, and other acts of civil disobedience have shaped the United States, Ralph Young's Dissent: The History of an American Idea is a well-researched, 600-plus page tome that covers both the liberal and conservative movements that changed American history. -Bustle.com A sweeping, panoramic narrative that is ambitious in nature, and broad and deep in scope. It provides an alternative history of the United States-indeed of 'America.' It is a history-not from the vantage point of the forgotten or the 'losers,' per se-but from dissenters: those who fought-valiantly, nobly, with great foresight and insight, and often against overwhelming, even impossible, odds and at great cost to themselves-in order to push, pull, shift, and shape the American world around them. -Glenn Feldman,University of Alabama at Birmingham

Author Information

Ralph Young is Professor of Instruction in History at Temple University. He is the author of Make Art Not War: Political Protest Posters from the Twentieth Century and Dissent in America: The Voices That Shaped a Nation.

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