On Ordinary Heroes and American Democracy

On Ordinary Heroes and American Democracy
ISBN-10
1317255127
ISBN-13
9781317255123
Category
Political Science
Pages
328
Language
English
Published
2016-01-08
Publisher
Routledge
Author
Gerald M. Pomper

Description

True American heroes need not have superhuman abilities nor do they need to act alone. Heroism in a democracy is different from the heroism of myths and legends, writes Gerald Pomper in this original contribution to the literature of U.S. politics. Through the remarkable stories of eight diverse Americans who acted as heroes by "just doing their jobs" during national crises, he offers a provocative definition of heroism and fresh reasons to respect U.S. institutions and the people who work within them. This new paperback edition includes photographs, an introductory chapter on American heroism after 9/11, a survey of the meanings of heroism in U.S. popular culture, and an original concluding theory of "ordinary" heroism.

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