The conference “The United States and the World: from Imitation to Challenge” was meant to gather those interested in various aspects of the mutual connections between the United States and the world. It concentrated on the problem of the model of American democracy, the presidential system, American politics, American society, American culture and the world's reflections about them from imitation to challenge. For this, there was an invitation to scholars from many research fields: political science, philosophy, law, culture studies, economy, and sociology. It was a result of our vision of American Studies as an interdisciplinary effort. And so, thanks to the rich and diverse approaches of the participants, our vision turned out to be true. The effect of the conference is reflected in the contributions that follow in this volume and in the rich, interdisciplinary debate over the American impact on the world, integration in Pax Americana and patterns of integration in other parts of the world, different and/or similar approaches to challenges to international order, and last but not least the issue of continuity and change in politics. Here one also needs to mention the ever-present debate on the American “export” of values: separation of church and state, human rights, the idea of sovereignty, the rule of separation of powers, modern federalism, democratization approaches, Americanism, American Studies dilemmas, American exceptionalism, uniqueness in contemporary American society, and patterns in foregin policy

Philanthro-capitalism: How charity became big business The charitable sector is one of the fastest-growing industries in the global economy. Nearly half of the more than 85,000 private foundations in the United States have come into being since the year 2000. Just under 5,000 more were established in 2011 alone. This deluge of philanthropy has helped create a world where billionaires wield more power over education policy, global agriculture, and global health than ever before. In No Such Thing as a Free Gift, author and academic Linsey McGoey puts this new golden age of philanthropy under the microscope—paying particular attention to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. As large charitable organizations replace governments as the providers of social welfare, their largesse becomes suspect. The businesses fronting the money often create the very economic instability and inequality the foundations are purported to solve. We are entering an age when the ideals of social justice are dependent on the strained rectitude and questionable generosity of the mega-rich.

An unforgettable story of discovery and unimaginable destruction and a major biography of one of America’s most brilliant—and most divisive—scientists, Robert Oppenheimer: A Life Inside the Center vividly illuminates the man who would go down in history as “the father of the atomic bomb.” “Impressive. . . . An extraordinary story.”—The New York Times Book Review “Judicious, comprehensive and reliable. . . . By far the most thorough survey yet written of Oppenheimer’s physics."—Washington Post Oppenheimer’s talent and drive secured him a place in the pantheon of great physicists and carried him to the laboratories where the secrets of the universe revealed themselves. But they also led him to contribute to the development of the deadliest weapon on earth, a discovery he soon came to fear. His attempts to resist the escalation of the Cold War arms race—coupled with political leanings at odds with post-war America—led many to question his loyalties, and brought down upon him the full force of McCarthyite anti-communism. Digging deeply into Oppenheimer’s past to solve the enigma of his motivations and his complex personality, Ray Monk uncovers the extraordinary, charming, tortured man—and the remarkable mind—who fundamentally reshaped the world.

Efforts to resolve the recent financial crisis have obscured a more deeply rooted financialization crisis that impacts not only the market economy but also the vital civic and moral traditions that support it. This book reveals the cultural influence of finance in reshaping the foundations of American civil society and proposes a return to certain "first principles" of the Republic to restore the nation’s economic vision. This book demonstrates how funding concerns and financial incentives "revalue" faith traditions, educational institutions, non-profit organizations, and even the nation’s healthcare system in ways that are eroding the diversity of American culture. These changes also undermine the ethical framework of both democratic government and the free-market system. While financial influence has diminished the value of civil society, this book proposes that revitalized intermediary institutions still offer the best path forward in restoring the financial sector and, more broadly, enriching the American competitive ethic toward development of a more virtuous economy. The book is written for an academic and professional audience, offering a blueprint for the involvement of civil society with government in providing more communally integrated oversight that could contribute to a genuine democratization of finance.

Based on a study of wilderness protection in three Arctic countries, Antje Neumann identifies numerous ‘lessons learnt’ which could improve the protection of Antarctica’s wilderness, in particular with regard to the increasing and diversifying tourism in the region.

Corporate Social Responsibility: Is Good Citizenship Good for the Bottom Line?