Alexander T. Riley
- Published in print:
- 2015
- Published Online:
- March 2016
- ISBN:
- 9781479870479
- eISBN:
- 9781479809400
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- NYU Press
- DOI:
- 10.18574/nyu/9781479870479.001.0001
- Subject:
- Sociology, Culture
When United Airlines Flight 93, the fourth plane hijacked in the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, crashed into a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, the gash it left in the ground became a ...
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When United Airlines Flight 93, the fourth plane hijacked in the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, crashed into a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, the gash it left in the ground became a national site of mourning. The flight's forty passengers became a media obsession, and countless books, movies, and articles told the tale of their heroic fight to band together and sacrifice their lives to stop Flight 93 from becoming a weapon of terror. This book argues that by memorializing these individuals as patriots, we have woven them into the much larger story of our nation—about what it means to be truly American. The book examines the symbolic impact and role of the Flight 93 disaster in the nation's collective consciousness, delving into the spontaneous memorialization efforts that blossomed in Shanksville immediately after news of the crash spread; the ad-hoc sites honoring the victims that in time emerged; and the creation of an official, permanent crash monument in Shanksville like those built for past American wars. The book also analyzes the cultural narratives that evolved in films and in books around the events on the day of the crash and the lives and deaths of its “angel patriot” passengers, uncovering how these representations of the event reflect the myth of the authentic American nation—one that Americans believed was gravely threatened in the 9/11 attacks. The book unveils how, in the wake of 9/11, America mourned much more than the loss of life.Less
When United Airlines Flight 93, the fourth plane hijacked in the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, crashed into a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, the gash it left in the ground became a national site of mourning. The flight's forty passengers became a media obsession, and countless books, movies, and articles told the tale of their heroic fight to band together and sacrifice their lives to stop Flight 93 from becoming a weapon of terror. This book argues that by memorializing these individuals as patriots, we have woven them into the much larger story of our nation—about what it means to be truly American. The book examines the symbolic impact and role of the Flight 93 disaster in the nation's collective consciousness, delving into the spontaneous memorialization efforts that blossomed in Shanksville immediately after news of the crash spread; the ad-hoc sites honoring the victims that in time emerged; and the creation of an official, permanent crash monument in Shanksville like those built for past American wars. The book also analyzes the cultural narratives that evolved in films and in books around the events on the day of the crash and the lives and deaths of its “angel patriot” passengers, uncovering how these representations of the event reflect the myth of the authentic American nation—one that Americans believed was gravely threatened in the 9/11 attacks. The book unveils how, in the wake of 9/11, America mourned much more than the loss of life.
Amy L. Best
- Published in print:
- 2017
- Published Online:
- September 2017
- ISBN:
- 9781479842704
- eISBN:
- 9781479860135
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- NYU Press
- DOI:
- 10.18574/nyu/9781479842704.001.0001
- Subject:
- Sociology, Culture
In recent years, questions such as “What are kids eating?” and “Who's feeding our kids?” have sparked a torrent of public and policy debates as we increasingly focus our attention on the issue of ...
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In recent years, questions such as “What are kids eating?” and “Who's feeding our kids?” have sparked a torrent of public and policy debates as we increasingly focus our attention on the issue of childhood obesity. It is estimated that one in three American children are either overweight or obese. Enduring inequalities in communities, schools, and homes affect young people's access to different types of food, with real consequences in life choices and health outcomes. This book sheds light on the social contexts in which children eat, and the broader backdrop of social change in American life, demonstrating why attention to food's social meaning is important to effective public health policy, particularly actions that focus on behavioral change and school food reforms. The book provides narratives of the everyday life of youth, highlighting young people's voices and perspectives and the places where they eat. It provides an account of the role that food plays in the lives of today's youth, teasing out the many contradictions of food as a cultural object. The book examines the complex relationship between youth identity and food consumption, offering answers to those straightforward questions that require crucial and comprehensive solutions.Less
In recent years, questions such as “What are kids eating?” and “Who's feeding our kids?” have sparked a torrent of public and policy debates as we increasingly focus our attention on the issue of childhood obesity. It is estimated that one in three American children are either overweight or obese. Enduring inequalities in communities, schools, and homes affect young people's access to different types of food, with real consequences in life choices and health outcomes. This book sheds light on the social contexts in which children eat, and the broader backdrop of social change in American life, demonstrating why attention to food's social meaning is important to effective public health policy, particularly actions that focus on behavioral change and school food reforms. The book provides narratives of the everyday life of youth, highlighting young people's voices and perspectives and the places where they eat. It provides an account of the role that food plays in the lives of today's youth, teasing out the many contradictions of food as a cultural object. The book examines the complex relationship between youth identity and food consumption, offering answers to those straightforward questions that require crucial and comprehensive solutions.
Nancy Foner, Jan Rath, Jan Willem Duyvendak, and Rogier van Reekum (eds)
- Published in print:
- 2014
- Published Online:
- March 2016
- ISBN:
- 9780814738092
- eISBN:
- 9780814738221
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- NYU Press
- DOI:
- 10.18574/nyu/9780814738092.001.0001
- Subject:
- Sociology, Culture
Immigration is dramatically changing major cities throughout the world. Nowhere is this more so than in New York City and Amsterdam, which, after decades of large-scale immigration, now have ...
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Immigration is dramatically changing major cities throughout the world. Nowhere is this more so than in New York City and Amsterdam, which, after decades of large-scale immigration, now have populations that are more than a third foreign-born. These cities have had to deal with the challenge of incorporating hundreds of thousands of immigrants whose cultures, languages, religions, and racial backgrounds differ dramatically from those of many long-established residents. This book examines and compares the impact of immigration on two of the world's largest urban centers. The book discusses how immigration has affected social, political, and economic structures, cultural patterns, and intergroup relations in the two cities, investigating how the particular, and changing, urban contexts of New York City and Amsterdam have shaped immigrant and second-generation experiences. Despite many parallels between New York and Amsterdam, the differences stand out, juxtaposing chapters on immigration in the two cities helps to illuminate the essential issues that today's immigrants and their children confront. Organized around five main themes, the book offers an in-depth view of the impact of immigration as it affects particular places, with specific histories, institutions, and immigrant populations. It contributes to our broader understanding of the transformations wrought by immigration and the dynamics of urban change, providing new insights into how—and why— immigration's effects differ on the two sides of the Atlantic.Less
Immigration is dramatically changing major cities throughout the world. Nowhere is this more so than in New York City and Amsterdam, which, after decades of large-scale immigration, now have populations that are more than a third foreign-born. These cities have had to deal with the challenge of incorporating hundreds of thousands of immigrants whose cultures, languages, religions, and racial backgrounds differ dramatically from those of many long-established residents. This book examines and compares the impact of immigration on two of the world's largest urban centers. The book discusses how immigration has affected social, political, and economic structures, cultural patterns, and intergroup relations in the two cities, investigating how the particular, and changing, urban contexts of New York City and Amsterdam have shaped immigrant and second-generation experiences. Despite many parallels between New York and Amsterdam, the differences stand out, juxtaposing chapters on immigration in the two cities helps to illuminate the essential issues that today's immigrants and their children confront. Organized around five main themes, the book offers an in-depth view of the impact of immigration as it affects particular places, with specific histories, institutions, and immigrant populations. It contributes to our broader understanding of the transformations wrought by immigration and the dynamics of urban change, providing new insights into how—and why— immigration's effects differ on the two sides of the Atlantic.
