Close to Home, One at a Time, Not in My Backyard: Individualism and the Mantras of Depoliticization in US Reform Discourses
The U.S. has a vibrant history of civic activism fueled by a strong individualistic tradition. But while stimulating critical views of the status quo, the individualist mindset has simultaneously acted as a brake on the democratic imagination by promoting the cultural narrative according to which me...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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European Association for American Studies
2019-07-01
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| Series: | European Journal of American Studies |
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| Online Access: | https://journals.openedition.org/ejas/14663 |
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| _version_ | 1841558296941559808 |
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| author | Olga Thierbach-McLean |
| author_facet | Olga Thierbach-McLean |
| author_sort | Olga Thierbach-McLean |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The U.S. has a vibrant history of civic activism fueled by a strong individualistic tradition. But while stimulating critical views of the status quo, the individualist mindset has simultaneously acted as a brake on the democratic imagination by promoting the cultural narrative according to which meaningful social change can ultimately only occur by transforming one’s own private environment. This tendency finds expression in popular reform slogans, also including modern cyber-activism which – despite its global reach – shows a disposition to get absorbed in insular pet projects. It also plays a vital, jet largely unacknowledged role in America’s struggle with gun violence. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-07f153efc4014e1a98d8f47abcf34ea4 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1991-9336 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2019-07-01 |
| publisher | European Association for American Studies |
| record_format | Article |
| series | European Journal of American Studies |
| spelling | doaj-art-07f153efc4014e1a98d8f47abcf34ea42025-01-06T09:07:50ZengEuropean Association for American StudiesEuropean Journal of American Studies1991-93362019-07-0114210.4000/ejas.14663Close to Home, One at a Time, Not in My Backyard: Individualism and the Mantras of Depoliticization in US Reform DiscoursesOlga Thierbach-McLeanThe U.S. has a vibrant history of civic activism fueled by a strong individualistic tradition. But while stimulating critical views of the status quo, the individualist mindset has simultaneously acted as a brake on the democratic imagination by promoting the cultural narrative according to which meaningful social change can ultimately only occur by transforming one’s own private environment. This tendency finds expression in popular reform slogans, also including modern cyber-activism which – despite its global reach – shows a disposition to get absorbed in insular pet projects. It also plays a vital, jet largely unacknowledged role in America’s struggle with gun violence.https://journals.openedition.org/ejas/14663reform movementsgun controlUS social activismcyber activismindividualismdepoliticization |
| spellingShingle | Olga Thierbach-McLean Close to Home, One at a Time, Not in My Backyard: Individualism and the Mantras of Depoliticization in US Reform Discourses European Journal of American Studies reform movements gun control US social activism cyber activism individualism depoliticization |
| title | Close to Home, One at a Time, Not in My Backyard: Individualism and the Mantras of Depoliticization in US Reform Discourses |
| title_full | Close to Home, One at a Time, Not in My Backyard: Individualism and the Mantras of Depoliticization in US Reform Discourses |
| title_fullStr | Close to Home, One at a Time, Not in My Backyard: Individualism and the Mantras of Depoliticization in US Reform Discourses |
| title_full_unstemmed | Close to Home, One at a Time, Not in My Backyard: Individualism and the Mantras of Depoliticization in US Reform Discourses |
| title_short | Close to Home, One at a Time, Not in My Backyard: Individualism and the Mantras of Depoliticization in US Reform Discourses |
| title_sort | close to home one at a time not in my backyard individualism and the mantras of depoliticization in us reform discourses |
| topic | reform movements gun control US social activism cyber activism individualism depoliticization |
| url | https://journals.openedition.org/ejas/14663 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT olgathierbachmclean closetohomeoneatatimenotinmybackyardindividualismandthemantrasofdepoliticizationinusreformdiscourses |