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Re: 11 American Nations

Posted by Stephen Thompson on Nov 09, 2013; 2:24pm
URL: http://friam.383.s1.nabble.com/11-American-Nations-tp7584250p7584251.html

Steve:

I would like to hear your critique of the 11 Nations framework.  I
recently read the book
and found it fascinating.  The book is well researched and documented -
though the reading
style of the book is in the "popular-style" as opposed to an academic
textbook-style.

I think of the book as a modern day version of the layered invasions of
the British Isles over
the last 1500 years.  The original Celts then the usual-suspects of
Angles, Saxons, Vikings,
Normans - and in the recent 50+ years - American Pop Culture.  I say
modern-day as the
11 Nations formed in the last 400 years rather than the 1500 of the
British Isles invasions.

I think we all see elements of his main thesis in our local areas. In
MSP, we have neighborhoods
that historically were settled by different ethnic groups - lots of
Scandinavians in this region.
In recent decades we have Hmong, Somali, and Mid-East cultures settling in.

The article you linked referred to a Woodard article at Tufts.  I link
it here.  It takes the basic
11 Nations Framework and uses it to review gun violence in America. I
have seen other articles
by Mr. Woodard concerning the Tea Party in reference to the early
October Gov't shut-down.

At Tuffs on Gun Violence:
http://www.tufts.edu/alumni/magazine/fall2013/features/up-in-arms.html

At Washington Monthly on Gov't Shutdown:
Oct. 15, 2013: Regional Differences Have Doomed the Tea Party
----------------------------------­----------------------------------­------

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/ten-miles-square/2013/10/regional_differences_have_doom047323.php 


Nov/Dec 2011: A Geography Lesson for the Tea Party
----------------------------------­-----------------------------
http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/magazine/novemberdecember_2011/features/a_geography_lesson_for_the_tea032846.php?page=all

Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/American-Nations-History-Regional-Cultures/dp/0143122029

I admit to lacking the chops to professionally "vet" Mr. Woodard's
theory.  However, the book
has verisimilitude in its structure and is heavily documented.   I hope
to hear more from you
for an additional point-of-view.

Thanks,
StephT


On 11/8/2013 11:27 PM, Steve Smith wrote:

> An alternative view to the (I can't help but hear it in Dr. Suess'
> cadence) Red-State Blue-State version of Murrica.   I don't agree with
> it in detail but in sweeping generalizations (5.5x less general than
> red/blue?) it captures what I know our cultural "melting pot" to be
> crufted into:
>
> http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/govbeat/wp/2013/11/08/which-of-the-11-american-nations-do-you-live-in/ 
>
>
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