ABSTRACT
The major American foundations – especially the ‘Big Three’ (Ford, Rockefeller, and Carnegie) – have been linked with controversies over Americanism, antiAmericanism and un-Americanism almost from their very beginnings. Right-wing Americans, in particular, accuse the foundations of being anti-or un-American. Others argue that the foundations have effectively promoted Americanism and/or opposed anti-Americanism. This chapter shows that – rather than being un-or anti-American – the major foundations have been vehicles for promoting, at different times, ‘liberal-internationalist’ and ‘neoliberal’ Americanism at home and abroad, and for challenging specific political tendencies and elites around the world for being ‘anti-American’. Today, the Ford, Carnegie and Rockefeller foundations promote Americanism principally through their support of globalization, and better understanding of Islamic societies and belief systems, while the German Marshall Fund of the United States (GMFUS) specializes in combating anti-Americanism by promoting transatlantic unity.
