American Culture Wars: Real or Perceived?

Paper Summary:

The paper reveals that in a basic sense, the culture wars of the 1990s consisted of perceived divisive debates in America over social issues such as abortion, affirmative action, homosexuality and school curricula. The general belief is that such heightened social conflicts erode the possibility of shared public values and open, democratic debate. This study, however, argues that the culture wars of the 1990s were largely overblown and did not speak to a pervasive schism in American culture. Several key studies conducted during the 1990s illustrate that while the perception of conflict was high, little historical and statistical evidence exists to corroborate that feeling.

From the Paper:

"Americans seem to have a perverse desire to frame everything in terms of conflict. At least in the last fifty years, there has been a growing rhetoric in the United States that characterizes everyday events and circumstances in terms of conflict. We declare war on drugs. We combat homelessness. We battle obesity. In some ways, it would seem that issues are not taken seriously unless they warrant the all-out rhetoric of war. Thus, it's not surprising to find that value differences over social and moral issues in American culture have been cast in the glare of battle. Lines have apparently been drawn in the U.S. as orthodox and progressive forces duke it out for bragging rights. From an historical perspective, though, the question emerges over whether or not these culture wars are real or artificial."

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