As a meeting point for world cultures, the USA is characterized by its breadth and diversity. This Encyclopedia answers the need for an accesible insight and introduction to contemporary American culture, offering a comparative and interdisciplinary approach. It provides a starting point for interested browsers and serious scholars, pointing the way to more specialised sources and in-depth study. The Encyclopedia gives a wide definition of culture - including age groups, cities, civil rights, consumption, ethnicity, production, sports, technology and transport alongside film, literature, music and visual arts. Entries give contextual information as well as factual details and coverage spans from the end of World War II to the present day. Extensive cross-referencing and a thematic contents list helps readers make links between more than 1200 entries. Suggestions for further reading, which follow most articles, are invaluable in guiding the user to additional research. Consultant editors: Sandra Gilchrist, New College, Florida, USA Rick Halpern, University College, London, UK Gail Henson, Bellarmine College, Louisville, USA James Kraus, Stony Point, USA Dewar Macleod, University of Montclair, USA Ed Miller, City University of New York Randall Miller, Saint Joseph’s University, USA Enrique Sacerio-Gari, Bryn Mawr College, USA