Flagging Patriotism: Crises of Narcissism and Anti-Americanism

While many books focus on anti-Americanism, and many on potriotism, Flagging Patriotism audaciously links the two issues. Within a multiper-spectival approach, the authors reframe the usual "Why do they hate us?" question, asking how do other nations love themselves, and how is that self-love linked to their views of the United States? Is love of country "monogamous," or can one love many countries? In the age of imperial democracy, how can Americans learn from international critics, but also point out that anti-Americans "get it wrong"? Rather than simply endorse or reject the criticisms, the book scores both the anti-French hysteria of the right and the submerged narcissism of some French anti-Americanism. The boisterous superpatriots, meanwhile, are exposed as not being patriots at all.

Robert Stam is University Professor at New York University Ella Shohat is Professor of Cultural Studies at New York University