Liberalism

An Interview with Hans Joas

By Andrew M. JohnstonHans Joas | 0 comments |

In his research into the impact of Pragmatism on American society at the turn of the last century, historian and NeoAmericanist editorial board member Professor Andrew Johnston invariably came across the path-breaking work of German sociologist Hans Joas. Although a preeminent social theorist of his own, and indeed perhaps one of the leading public intellectuals of his generation in contemporary Germany, Joas surprisingly began his career with an intellectual biography of the American philosopher and sociologist George Herbert Mead, one of the founders of Pragmatism. Mead’s early 20th century work on the social origins of the self, which depended on a complex theory of social interaction through the use of what he called “signifi cant symbols,” also made him a towering infl uence in 20th century American sociology despite having never published a major statement of his own theoretical premises. According to Johnston, the most notable aspect of Joas’s work was his determination to revive Mead’s reputation and, in particular, explore how Pragmatism and the sociology of the self might help infuse certain German schools of social theory with a healthy democratic bias. Wanting to know how he had come to Mead in particular, and just what he thought his own recent efforts at rehabilitating a trans-Atlantic dialogue of social theory might mean for both Germany and the United States, Johnston met with Joas in August 2006, while he was fi nishing a year as a Fellow at the Wissenschaftskolleg (Institute for Advanced Study) in Berlin. The following are exerts of their larger conversation on pragmatism, the transatlantic flow of ideas and American foreign policy/relations.

Read the full paper...

A Covert Expression?:

Voir Dire and the Impartial American Jury

By Brandon Righi | 0 comments |

The impartial jury has remained an important goal of the American judicial system throughout the republic’s history.  That ideal has shared its staying power with ancient procedures still used in the jury selection process, the most important example being voir dire.  Originally a guarantee that defendants would face juries devoid of prejudiced individuals, voir dire allows the parties—i.e. the lawyers—of a trail to inspect the pool of jurors, lobbying for and selecting individuals they hope will give a fair hearing.  Many modern observers doubt that the end results are impartial juries.  Rather, the history of voir dire often includes lawyers systematically excluding racial and ideological minority groups, and women.  This paper explores the problems encountered in the voir dire process, and the solutions that have been proposed and implemented over the past century.  Further, the question is raised whether voir dire can possibly live alongside the modern desire for juries that are both impartial and fairly representative of the community’s population.

Read the full paper...

Thinking Through Nationalism

Unpacking the Nation through American Studies

By the editors | 0 comments |

One of the serious boundaries and dilemmas for a journal that wishes to reach an international audience is the matter of language. Working from Canada, most of NeoAm’s executive have grownup or been well-exposed to a bilingual environment and immersed in the “language” of multiculturalism. But, this is not to say that Canadians, like our American counterparts to the south and in nations around the world, are not actively engaged in discussions about “accommodation” or “compromise over the cultural makeup of the nation-state”. Recently we decided that the journal would attempt to launch a series of posters and advertisements in multiple languages, despite the organization’s (current) inability to actually accept papers in the posted languages. In other words, the posters would be used for the exclusive purpose of increasing general awareness among a wider global audience, as NeoAm would not be able to alter its practice of requesting written works in English only. This decision to launch the posters has produced a fair amount of debate, even amongst our small executive. Some have argued that the journal would be misrepresented by advertisements in languages other than English, while others argue that so much of the work done in American Studies assumes a monolingual readership. Needless to say, this debate may never be solved—certainly not within the scope of our small publication—but it points to the crucial and problematic role that language plays in the constitution of identity, subjectivization and the cultural apparatuses that sustain any collective identity.

Read the full paper...

From the Editors - Spring/Summer 2009

By the editors | 0 comments |

After months of preparation, NeoAmericanist is pleased to release Volume 4 no. 2 in our newly redesigned and much improved format. To build on our mission of making the journal an interactive and accessible environment, we have moved to a web 2.0 system, which allows for extensive feedback, discussion, better archiving and a host of other features... 

Read the full letter...

Entering a Post-Bush/Post-Katrina Era?

By the editors | 0 comments |

According to most, The Bush era is over. The election of Obama has spelled the undeniable downfall of neo-conservativism as a legitimate ideological position, shattering its ready access to apparatuses of the U.S. government and economy. The systemic failure of de-regulated privatization, the defeat of key political strategists in the John McCain camp, the faltering of American military and economic power in the Middle East and the near collapse of a hegemonic, American-centric global economic system have all contributed to an almost palpable sense that these are changing times. But is this truly a post-Bush era? And if so, exactly what does that mean for Americans, the U.S. and, just as importantly, the world?

Read the full letter...