The Struggles of American Identity and the Emergence of New Societal Norms

These flashcards cover key vocabulary and concepts from the lecture notes, focusing on American identity during the 1950s, the critique of materialism, and influential figures and movements.

American Dream

The national ethos of the United States, promising an ideal of freedom, opportunity, and success.

Tom and Betsy Rath

Fictional characters from Sloan Wilson's novel representing the struggles of upwardly mobile Americans in the 1950s.

Conformity

The alignment of attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors to societal norms.

Suburban malaise

A sense of dissatisfaction experienced by suburban residents feeling trapped by their lifestyle.

C. Wright Mills

A prominent sociologist known for his critiques of American society and capitalism.

White Collar

A sociological term used by Mills to describe the new middle class workers who were affluent yet lacked purpose.

Material Progress

The advancement in physical goods and wealth, often contrasted with the quality of life or personal fulfillment.

Alienation

A feeling of disconnection or estrangement from society or work.

The Power Elite

Mills' work analyzing the interconnectedness of the military, political, and economic spheres in American society.

Rosa Parks

Civil rights activist whose refusal to give up her bus seat sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott.