Introduction

This book examines how Americans have defined themselves and how these shifting identities have shaped U.S. foreign policy. It explores three interconnected questions: how Americans have imagined their collective “we,” how other societies have imagined the United States, and how these mutual perceptions have influenced America’s role in the world. The study approaches U.S. history through the concept of political identity and the changing construction of significant “Others.” It also analyzes the language through which political actors have described America’s mission, interests, and place in global politics. By tracing the evolution of these narratives from the eighteenth century to the present, this book shows how debates about national identity have continually shaped American foreign policy and the international image of the United States.