The first systematic inquiry into American insularity, exceptionalism and imperialism with a collection of provocative essays relating common threads of discussion from politics and economics to the sporting arena.

1. Benevolent America: Rural Women, Recreation , Sport and Health Reform in Antibellum New England 2. Aggressive America: Media Nationalism and the ‘War’Over Olympic Pictures in Sport’s Golden Age 3. Insular America: The NBA Began in Akron? The Midwest Conference in the Thirties 4. Integrated America: Baseball Black and White - Jackie Robinson , Critical Events, Race and Nation 5. Non- Integrated America: Baseball not Black and White – Jackie Robinson, Decolonization and World Baseball 6. Reformist America: The Oberlin Experiment: The limits of Jack Scott’s 'Athletic Revolution' in post 1960s America 7. Community America: Who ‘owns’ Wrigley Field? 8. Exceptionalist America: American Sports Fans’ Reaction to Globalization 9. Rejected America: Adolfo Lugue, Anti Americanism and Cubanidad 10. Challenged America: China and America- Women and Sport - Past, Present and Future

"In Sport and American Society: Exceptionalism, Insularity and 'Imperialism', editors Mark Dyreson and J. A. Mangan have assembled a strong selection of articles that explore how 'American sport contributes to historic and contemporary insularity, exceptionalism and imperialism' " Lane Demas