Civic myths: a law-and-literature approach to citizenship

As questions of citizenship generate new debates for this generation of Americans, Brook Thomas argues for revitalizing the role of literature in civic education. Thomas defines civic myths as compelling stories about national origin, membership, and values that are generated by conflicts within the concept of citizenship itself. Selected works of literature, he claims, work on these myths by challenging their terms at the same time that they work with them by relying on the power of narrative to produce compelling new stories ...

Introduction : working on/with civic myths -- The scarlet letter : the good citizen, transgression, and civil society -- "The man without a country" : the patriotic citizen, Lincoln, and civil liberties -- Ex parte Milligan : civil liberties v. civil rights -- Adventures of Huckleberry Finn : the independent citizen, mugwumpery, and civil rights -- China men : the immigrant citizen, Wong Kim Ark, and civil talk -- Conclusion : keeping discussions of U.S. citizenship open