United States History Commons^™

America, Dreaming., Sarah Meftah

Masters Theses

There is a version

of America

that exists

only in dreams,

a kind of folklore,

shrouded in images,

technicolor interiors,

wrapped in plastic,

ghosts of recent past

to haunt and guide;

a constant reminder.

Wishful thinking

a constructed imaginary,

one I can hold in my hand.

Popular culture and spectacle, America and the domestic ideal, capitalism and the collective unconscious of a national identity. As an artist, I am interested in the myriad images that manifest for a viewer when they think of the spectacle of American pop culture, its domestic archetypes, and the material worship it revolves around. My …

“For The Benefit And Enjoyment Of The People”?: The Imperial Nature Of The United States National Park System, Mitchell Macdonald

Major Papers

As the founders of national parks, the National Parks and National Park Service of the United States are monoliths on the global stage, inspiring all other national parks worldwide. Ever since the first park was created in 1872 at Yellowstone, Wyoming, people have been captivated by the idea of going into a land that is supposedly unspoiled by man. In a world where fossil fuels and industry are having extremely adverse effects on the global environment, the existence of land that has been set aside and protected is essential for global health. Yet, viewing national parks as institutions that are …