OLLI101716 - American Exceptionalism in the 20th Century
Course Description
American Exceptionalism in the 20th Century (Hybrid at TUA)
Instructor: Steven Pollack
Day of the Week: Thursday
Date: Feb. 5 – Apr. 2 (8 sessions)
Time: 9:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
Location: Hybrid at Ambler
After the great wars of the 20th century, decline of the British, French, Russian and Ottoman Empires opened a void beckoning the U.S. to assume the mantle of global influence. While vocally opposing colonialism, the U.S. exerted dominance by ideological, economic, and military penetration. Clashing with Russian or Chinese expansion, America extended economic and political influence under the banner of “American Exceptionalism,” exporting ideals often contrasted to racism, fascism and prejudice at home. This course examines contributing cultural forces like Manifest Destiny, slavery, immigration exclusion, U.S. fascist sympathizers, McCarthyism, cold war, and policies associated with figures including Kissinger, Cheney and Trump.
Maximum: 50 In-person/150 Online
Instructor Bio: Steven Pollack is a performer, director, lecturer, and actor whose work spans grand opera, blues, pop, stage plays, and musical theater. He has appeared in many local and regional theaters and was one of the original members of Peter Nero’s Voices of the Pops in Philadelphia. Pollack frequently lectures on culture, art, history, music, and social change, often exploring the critical, ironic, or trivial connections between historical events. He was educated at Franklin & Marshall College and Fairleigh Dickinson University.