Has American Exceptionalism Made the United States an Outlier on the Global Academic Stage?

This paper considers whether American exceptionalism has reduced the standing of the United States in the world—and whether it has impacted our ability to remain innovative. The paper is based on my presentation on a panel on this theme at the Charleston Conference 2018. The panel considered key international social issues in which Americans have become outliers, such as climate change, health care, and gun control. It also focused on research in the cultural heritage sector. Here I expand on my remarks about the origins of exceptionalism and its possible impact on libraries, archives, and museums. This issue is not yet being addressed in the library literature, so I draw on the perspectives of historians, political scientists, social commentators, and the popular press as well as heritage professionals. My observations are preliminary; further research is needed.