Europeans; Africans; and American Indians practiced slavery long before the first purchase of a captive African by a white land-owner in the American colonies; that; however; is the image of slavery most prevalent in the minds of Americans today. This Very Short Introduction begins with the Portuguese capture of Africans in the 1400s and traces the development of American slavery until its abolition following the Civil War. Historian Heather Andrea Williams draws upon the rich recent scholarship of numerous highly-regarded academics as well as an analysis of primary documents to explore the history of slavery and its effects on the American colonies and later the United States of America. Williams examines legislation that differentiated American Indians and Africans from Europeans as the ideology of white supremacy flourished and became an ingrained feature of the society. These laws reflected the contradiction of America's moral and philosophical ideology that valorized freedom on one hand and justified the enslavement of a population deemed inferior on another. She explores the tense and often violent relationships between the enslaved and the enslavers; and between abolitionists and pro-slavery advocates as those who benefited from the institution fought to maintain and exert their power. Williams is attentive to the daily labors that enslaved people performed; reminding readers that slavery was a system of forced labor with economic benefits that produced wealth for a new nation; all the while leaving an indelible mark on its history.About the Series:Oxford's Very Short Introductions series offers concise and original introductions to a wide range of subjects--from Islam to Sociology; Politics to Classics; Literary Theory to History; and Archaeology to the Bible. Not simply a textbook of definitions; each volume in this series provides trenchant and provocative--yet always balanced and complete--discussions of the central issues in a given discipline or field. Every Very Short Introduction gives a readable evolution of the subject in question; demonstrating how the subject has developed and how it has influenced society. Eventually; the series will encompass every major academic discipline; offering all students an accessible and abundant reference library. Whatever the area of study that one deems important or appealing; whatever the topic that fascinates the general reader; the Very Short Introductions series has a handy and affordable guide that will likely prove indispensable.
#2775640 in Books Oxford University Press 2012-04-12Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 6.40 x 1.20 x 9.30l; 1.19 #File Name: 0199858489320 pages
Review
0 of 1 people found the following review helpful. An outstanding bookBy Jarrod HayesHopf has written an outstanding; award winning book (it just received the Robert L. Jervis and Paul W. Schroeder Best Book Award). The first chapter is an amazing piece of work; and worth buying the book for alone. With a clarity rare in academic texts Hopf explains the contributions of constructivism (and his approach; societal constructivism) vis-vis the other theories of international relations. I assign it to my graduate students as an IR theory primer. The rest of the book is no less impressive; examining the Cold War through his societal constructivist lens and making a compelling case for understanding it in social rather than material terms. If you know how overwhelming materialist analysis of the Cold War has been; you know the importance of Hopf's work. Must read for every IR scholar; but written to be accessible to non-specialists as well.0 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Impressive workBy Andrew FilipourI can only imagine the amount of time and work Professor Hopf had to put into this work. The amount of document/ primary source analysis and translating must have been taxing. Even with limited personal knowledge of the Stalinist era/ and the USSR; Hopf provides plenty of background information.2 of 3 people found the following review helpful. The First Constructivist Account of the Cold WarBy ADWThis is an important work of original scholarship. It draws on the author's own archival research as well as the most recent work by Russian and Western scholars working on the Cold War. It should be of interest to historians because of the new insights it brings to familiar episodes and the uncovering of less familiar ones. Scholars and students of International Relations will welcome the work as the first application of "societal constructivism" as a theoretical framework for understanding the origins and course of the Cold War. There are many excellent insights and real gems of historical discovery and explication here: the treatment of the Doctor's Plot; the reaction in the Writers' Union to the Thaw and the continuing changes in temperature; the analysis of Beria - so far from a closet liberal; yet responsive to the societal sentiments that surfaced with the death of Stalin. The discussion of all of these issues will engage historians of the Soviet Union and the Cold War while political scientists will appreciate the author's attention to research design and theoretical innovation.
