Citizens' perspectives on the future of Transatlantic
Relations
- Discover here the opinions of speakers and partners
of the Miami Congress -
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Franck
BIANCHERI |
President of Tiesweb, Director for
Studies and Research of Europe 2020 |
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The
Americans of today and of tomorrow -
Visions of a Newropean
By Franck Biancheri President of
Tiesweb
Director for Studies and Research of Europe 2020
Preface by John Van Oudenaren
Chief, European Division Library of Congress,
Washington DC
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----------------------------------Preface
by John Van Oudenaren
Chief, European Division Library of Congress, Washington
DC
It
is a basic fact of life that how we see ourselves is not
always how others see us. This is true as much of nations
as of individuals. The conflicts that can arise, among
countries as well as individuals, as a result of misperception
have long been a subject of study for political scientists,
international relations scholars, sociologists, and psychologists.
Knowing that others inevitably see us differently than
we see ourselves, we are wise to be open to the views
and insights of others. This is one of the great benefits
of reading books from other countries, of learning foreign
languages, of reading the international press and, in
the Internet age, of visiting foreign websites and participating
in online discussions with individuals from around the
world. Even if we do not accept as objectively "true"
the perceptions of others, we learn to question our own
assumptions and to make greater efforts to communicate
and to understand different perspectives on a range of
issues.
In the wake of the September 11 attacks on the World Trade
Center and the Pentagon, Americans have begun to think
seriously about how they are perceived in the outside
world. Certainly, we reject the portrayals from the terrorists
and their supporters as a "great Satan" that acts as force
for evil in the world. And some of us can only shake our
heads at moralistic advice from Europe that so often seems
to avoid the really tough issues. Still, we are listening
- to friends and critics -- and perhaps most attentively
to critical friends.
It is against this background that I am very pleased to
introduce this new series by Franck Biancheri - a good
personal friend, a friend of America, and a keen observer
of both America and Europe. Franck and I were "present
at the creation" of TIES in 1997 -- although I have put
in only a minuscule fraction of the time and effort that
Franck has made to ensure the success of this venture
that has done so much to promote dialogue and exchange
across the Atlantic. Franck has traveled to the United
States many times - always learning and observing. In
one of his most recent trips, he traveled to the "heartland"
of America, gaining new insights into those parts of the
country that are less well-known to Europeans than the
big cities on the east and west coasts. This series draws
upon Franck's recent trip, as well as his earlier visits
to and interactions with the United States
The view of America offered by Franck as a self-proclaimed
"Newropean" is insightful and will be informative both
for Americans and other Europeans/Newropeans as well.
I hope you benefit from these insights as I did, and that
you will share your own comments and experiences with
TIES.
John
Van Oudenaren
Chief, European Division Library of Congress
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