Description: Authors starting point is Obamas speech of July, 2008, The America We Love, and argues that Obama has the potential to have greater impact on how Americans understand their national identity, and define it, than any president since Abraham Lincoln. Includes contrasting visions from both the GOP and Tea Party of what it means to be an American, and why they find Obamas vision so threatening. Authors opinion pieces and articles have appeared in Newsday, The New Republic, History News Network, and the Daily Kos; Markos Moulitsas (kos) has agreed to provide an endorsement for the book (to come).
Brief description: Raised in Smithtown, Long Island, Ian Reifowitz graduated from Brown University with a BA in history and from Georgetown University with a PhD in history. Since 2002, he has taught history at Empire State College of the State University of New York, where he now holds the rank of professor, and in 2009 won the college's Susan H. Turben Award for Scholarly Excellence. In 2014 he received a S.U.N.Y. Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Scholarly and Creative Activities. He is a Contributing Editor at the political website Daily Kos, and his opinion pieces and articles on American politics have appeared in the Daily News, Newsday, The New Republic, In These Times, and other publications. His first book, Imagining an Austrian Nation: Joseph Samuel Bloch and the Search for a Multiethnic Austrian Identity, 1846-1919, was published by East European Monographs and distributed by Columbia University Press in 2003. He has published a number of academic articles in the Journal of Jewish Identities, Nationalities Papers, and East European Quarterly, amongst other publications, as well as numerous book reviews.
Review Quotes: "The election of Barack Obama was a major victory for race relations in America, pushing forth one of America's best values: cultural unity. Obama's America: A Transformative Vision of Our National Identity is a discussion of culture, social issues, and politics as Ian Reifowitz presents an optimistic view of what Barack Obama can do for America culturally, the fierce response to his rise, and what it ultimately means for America's future. An intriguing alternative perspective on the influence that Barack Obama holds on American culture, Obama's America is a solid addition to any cultural studies collection, highly recommended."--Midwest Book Review