312 pages / 6.00 x 9.00 inches / no illustrations
History / France | History / American History | Political History / Diplomatic History
David G. Haglund’s Sister Republics tells the story of the unique relationship between the United States and its first ally, France. Historians and political scientists have characterized interactions between the two countries in the spheres of security and defense policy in radically different ways: either the two comport themselves in a highly cooperative fashion, befitting their status as old allies and steadfast friends, or they act as bitter rivals, revealing their alliance to be at best dysfunctional and at worst destructive. Haglund uses a fresh approach to reconcile these divergent positions, examining the Franco-American bond through the prism of strategic culture. In doing so, he reveals the cultural factors that have contributed to the suboptimal relationship between the two nations.
David G. Haglund is professor of political studies at Queen’s University in Ontario, Canada, and author of The US “Culture Wars” and the Anglo-American Special Relationship.
“Ever since the time of Lafayette, France and America have been squabbling sisters who depend on each other but can’t quite get along. David G. Haglund deftly draws on the concept of strategic culture to explain why they can’t help pushing each other’s most sensitive buttons.”—Jack Snyder, author of From Voting to Violence: Democratization and Nationalist Conflict
“France and America, the two beacons of human rights and republican democracy, should naturally be the closest allies. Yet their relations are marred by cultural divergencies, the absence of a large French diaspora in the U.S., and clashes of individual leaders. Haglund’s colorful exploration of all angles makes for a riveting read.”—Beatrice Heuser, author of War: A Genealogy of Western Ideas and Practices
“The United States and France are long-standing allies but also an odd couple. In Sister Republics, Haglund aptly utilizes the concept of strategic culture to provide a rich and elegantly written analysis of the deep-seated springs of that suboptimal yet special relationship.”—Frédéric Heurtebize, author of Le Péril Rouge: Washington Face à L'Eurocommunisme
“Haglund delves into the concepts of strategic culture and identity to take the reader through an incredible journey across more than three centuries of French-American relations.”—Luca Ratti, author of A Not-So-Special Relationship: The US, the UK, and German Unification, 1945–1990
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