ABSTRACT
This chapter seeks to explain the paradoxical historical development by rooting the history of American identity formation in relation to three powerful historical forces that have also reshaped the United States. Those are the pressures of diasporic identity formation; the powerful steadfastness of American conservatism; and the splintering tendencies of postmodernism, or the cultural and intellectual representations of late-twentieth-century capitalism. Although the white moral establishment dominated American national identity for much of the nation's history, resistance was inherent to it. Conservatives battled back against the influx of new identities that threatened the stability of an older American identity. In doing so, they often focused their retrenchment on the university, that esteemed American institution, which was logical given the university's central role in challenges to late-twentieth-century American identity formation. Donald Trump is the negation of cosmopolitanism. Trump has a long history of sexism which also became well known during the campaign. Trump openly represents masculine white nationalist America.
