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Book Cover
E-book
Author Caronan, Faye, 1979-

Title Legitimizing empire : Filipino American and U.S. Puerto Rican cultural critique / Faye Caronan
Published Urbana : University of Illinois Press, [2015]

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Description 1 online resource
Series Asian American Experience
Asian American experience.
Contents Cover; Title; Copyright; Contents; Acknowledgments; Introduction; 1. Consuming (Post)Colonial Culture: Multicultural Experiences in Travelogues and Ethnic Novels; 2. Revising the Colonialism-as-Romance Metaphor: From Conquest to Neocolonialis; 3. Bastards of U.S. Imperialism: Demanding Recognition in the American Family; 4. Performing Genealogies: Poetic Pedagogies of Disidentification; Conclusion: Imagining the End of Empire; Notes; Bibliography; Index
Summary "When the United States acquired the Philippines and Puerto Rico, it reconciled its status as an empire with its anticolonial roots by claiming that it would altruistically establish democratic institutions in its new colonies. Ever since, Filipino and Puerto Rican artists have challenged promises of benevolent assimilation instead portraying U.S. imperialism as both self-interested and unexceptional among empires. Faye Caronan's examination interprets the pivotal engagement of novels, films, performance poetry, and other cultural productions as both symptoms of and resistance against American military, social, economic, and political incursions. Though the Philippines became an independent nation and Puerto Rico a U.S. commonwealth, both remain subordinate to the United States. Caronan's juxtaposition reveals two different yet simultaneous models of U.S. neocolonial power and contradicts the myth of America as a reluctant empire that only accepts colonies for the benefit of the colonized. Her analysis, meanwhile, demonstrates how popular culture allows for alternative narratives of U.S. imperialism, but also functions to contain those alternatives"-- Provided by publisher
"After the Spanish-American War, the United States acquired overseas colonies and became an empire. Since the advent of U.S. colonialism in the Philippines and Puerto Rico, to reconcile its new status as an overseas empire with its anticolonial roots, the United States distinguished itself from European empires by claiming that it would altruistically establish democratic institutions in its colonies. In response, Filipino and Puerto Rican artists have challenged the promises of benevolent assimilation to demonstrate how U.S. imperialism is inherently self-interested, not exceptional among empires. Faye Caronan examines Puerto Rican and Filipino/American cultural productions as pivotal engagements with U.S. imperial exploits in these two terrains. Caronan skillfully interprets novels, films, performance poetry, and other cultural productions as both symptoms of and resistance against American military, social, economic and political incursions into these territories. Today the Philippines is an independent nation whereas Puerto Rico is a U.S. commonwealth, but somehow both remain subordinate to America. The different colonial relations mean that the Philippines and Puerto Rico cannot serve the same function in justifying U.S. imperialism. Caronan's juxtaposition reveals two different yet simultaneous models of U.S. neocolonial power and contradicts American exceptionalism as a reluctant empire that only accepts colonies for the benefit of the colonized and global welfare"-- Provided by publisher
Bibliography Includes bibliographical references (pages 169-180) and index
Notes English
Print version record
Subject Imperialism.
HISTORY -- Asia -- Southeast Asia.
HISTORY -- Latin America -- Central America.
Imperialism
International relations
Race relations
SUBJECT United States -- Relations -- Philippines
Philippines -- Relations -- United States
United States -- Relations -- Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico -- Relations -- United States
United States -- Race relations. http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh85140494
Subject Philippines
Puerto Rico
United States
Form Electronic book
LC no. 2019718174
ISBN 9780252097300
0252097300