Aiming to provide a balanced introduction to the defining features of contemporary American society, this text includes the ways in which the US can be considered "exceptional" - the character of the "American dream", the role of ethnicity and race and the differences between the regions. It considers in depth a number of contemporary debates including the claim that the US economy has lost its capacity to generate wealth and stimulate mobility, that there has been a process of civic disengagement as voluntary organizations have lost members, and that the traditional family is in decline. Included is a thorough investigation of the effects of the terrorist attacks of September 11th 2001 and their aftermath. The text also looks at the arguments put forward by those who assert that a common American identity has given way to a multitude of conflicting identities structured around factors such as race, ethnicity, gender and sexuality.