Trish Loughran

In this book, Loughran presents an interesting challenge to early republic and print culture studies. She argues that contrary to popular and scholarly belief (and paradoxically) increased communication technologies in the 19th century led to sectional, class, and racial conflict, rather than creating a strong national culture through print. Conversely, in the era when communication and mass production were still in development (say 1770 up to about 1840), it was easier to manufacture a fantasy of political consensus and national unity.… (mere)