American Exceptionalism and its Roles in Foreign Intervention and Culture

honors thesisCollege of HumanitiesInternational StudiesEdmund FongAmerican exceptionalism is a multi-faceted concept with not one simple definition. These facets are not mutually exclusive, but are in fact intertwined. One facet endorses the United States as an "exceptional" nation with an equally "exceptional" story - rising from a group of British colonies to now a cultural, political, and economic global giant. Another facet propagates the United States as an "exception" to the rules - whether they be spoken or unspoken. More specifically, there is an infallibility that the United States holds with an alarmingly large amount of the population in their military and war decisions. Infallibility refers to the idea that nothing the United States does is without some moral justification or reason, no matter how heinous the outcomes of the action might be. A third facet of American exceptionalism is the voiced and unvoiced complex that many American citizens and government officials perpetuate that drives the belief that the United States is not only superior to other nations, but also that if others do things differently than the American method, there is likely something wrong with it. It is a complex that continues the idea that the American way is the best way, and that other nations who differ from the American ways should be pushed towards a more "American" and "democratic" lifestyle. There seems to be such a staunch sense of patriotism among many Americans, with many often verging on full-blown nationalism. While many nations exhibit patriotism and pride in their own manners, the sheer size and power of the United States' military allows them to more feasibly impose their ideals and will upon other nations when they so desire. Therefore, the manner in which American exceptionalism has a hold in American foreign policy (meaning war, intervention abroad, as well as immigration and the linked socio-political culture) is especially important to consider. Cultural values and foreign policy, at least in the American context, are not mutually exclusive by any means. By analyzing rhetoric surrounding the Osama bin Laden raid and abuses perpetrated by the US in Iraq at Abu Ghraib, one can see the lens of exceptionalism through which these events are often justified by politicians and portions of the American public. Analysis of rhetoric surrounding the Bush and Obama administrations, during which these events took place, suggests even more about American-style exceptionalism as a tool wielded by both extremes of the political spectrum for various purposes. Additionally, it is relevant to consider how President Trump and his suggested policies fit into the narrative of American exceptionalism. Finally, the assertion here is neither that American exceptionalism is positive nor negative, but that its origins as well as its uses reflect on American culture and values and presents a double-sided face