The Coming of Age: A Journey Through U.S. Sociopolitical Development & American Exceptionalism

Abstract

Amidst an everlasting debate about the source of American identity, the collection of essays in this anthology point towards a deeply shared American Creed as the main source of U.S. national identity. Although the anthology reveals the presence of social cleavages that cut across a nationally shared identity, the collection of essays suggest that the two are not mutually exclusive but argues in favor of a multi-layered approach to national identity. Such a multi-layered approach to national identity would allow for the co-existence of a shared national identity – based on the American Creed – while simultaneously allowing for the many unique American experiences arguably present in U.S. society.