As the United States celebrates its 250th anniversary of independence, we should take hold of the opportunity to redefine our flag and the patriotism for which it stands into something that can unite and heal the nation.
Since its inception, America has revolutionized scientific research and technological advancements. Yet, in its shift away from federal research grants and “basic research,” science may find itself in an increasingly privatized and profit-driven setting.
Since Harvard’s founding, the institution has grown with America over time and shaped one another. Now, their relationship raises new questions about purpose, power, and where each institution stands in relation to the other.
The HPR sat down with Lepore to discuss the upcoming 250th anniversary of American independence, the legacy of the Constitution, the lessons of past commemorations, and the challenge of polarization.
One key element to the establishment of U.S. global hegemony was the exportation of American culture. However, opinions of the U.S. among foreigners have soured in recent years as a result of Trump’s “America First” doctrine, leaving a vacuum that China is strategically fit to fill.
Although it seems distant, Reconstruction ties the South, and more broadly, America, back to a time when the country was defining itself, just 150 years ago. In many ways, the current struggles of the South bind America back to its beginnings 250 years ago.
