elite (social sciences)

Details the events that have led to the disruption of relations between ordinary citizens and the social elite, including such organizations as Congress, Wall Street, and professional sports. Reveals how this crisis of authority threatens to upend American culture and politics and considers where this turn of events may lead.

Emily Bird is an African American high school senior in Washington D.C., member of a privileged medical family, on the verge of college and the edge of the drug culture, and not really sure which way she will go--then one day she wakes up in the hospitalwith no memory of what happened.

Looks at current research from a variety of disciplines by following the lives and unconscious motivations of a hypothetical American couple as they grow, meet, and change throughout their lives.

Examines racial attitudes based on information which has been provided by over 100 upper-income white men who express their views on blacks today, immigration, crime, and discriminatory practices.

A text of Howells' novel is followed by commentary, correspondence, and critical essays.

Offers a reassessment of political culture in the early years of the American republic, exploring both the public actions and private papers of key figures like Thomas Jefferson, Aaron Burr, and Alexander Hamilton.