The debate on ‘Americanization’ among economic and cultural historians
Beginning with an analysis of the debate on the usefulness of the concepts of ‘Americanization’ and ‘Westernization’, this essay reviews the recent research on the European-American relationship during the Cold War that has dealt with the cultural impact of the United States upon Europe. The second half is devoted to a discussion of relevant work on this subject in the fields of economic and business history. Overall, the article tries to bring out that those who have applied the concept of ‘Americanization’ to their research on cultural and/or economic history have been well aware of the complexities of trans-Atlantic relations in this period, whether they were viewed as a two-way exchange or as a process of circulation.