The Rothermere American Institute is a department of the
University of Oxford
, mottoeng = The Lord is my light
, established =
, endowment = £6.1 billion (including colleges) (2019)
, budget = £2.145 billion (2019–20)
, chancellor ...
dedicated to the interdisciplinary and comparative study of the
United States of America
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territo ...
and its place in the world. Named after the Harmsworth family,
Viscounts Rothermere, it was opened in May 2001 by former US President
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson Clinton ( né Blythe III; born August 19, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 42nd president of the United States from 1993 to 2001. He previously served as governor of Arkansas from 1979 to 1981 and agai ...
. It hosts conferences, lectures and seminars in the fields of American history, politics, foreign relations, and literature. Guests and speakers have included
Queen Elizabeth, former US President
Jimmy Carter
James Earl Carter Jr. (born October 1, 1924) is an American politician who served as the 39th president of the United States from 1977 to 1981. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, he previously served as th ...
,
Jesse Jackson
Jesse Louis Jackson (né Burns; born October 8, 1941) is an American political activist, Baptist minister, and politician. He was a candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1984 and 1988 and served as a shadow U.S. senator ...
, Justice
Sandra Day O'Connor
Sandra Day O'Connor (born March 26, 1930) is an American retired attorney and politician who served as the first female associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States from 1981 to 2006. She was both the first woman nominated and th ...
and
Lord Patten of Barnes
Christopher Francis Patten, Baron Patten of Barnes, (; born 12 May 1944) is a British politician who was the 28th and last Governor of Hong Kong from 1992 to 1997 and Chairman of the Conservative Party from 1990 to 1992. He was made a life pe ...
. The institute hosts four of the university's chairs and two visiting professorships.
The institute's current director is Adam I. P. Smith. It offers visiting fellowships to scholars of American studies, scholarships to study for a doctorate at Oxford in US history or politics, and various travel awards.
Oxford University
Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...
's annual Esmond Harmsworth Lecture in American Arts and Letters is held there.
See also
*
American Studies in Britain
American studies as an academic discipline is taught at some British universities and incorporated in several school subjects, such as history, politics, and literature. While the United States of America is the focus of most study, American Stud ...
References
External links
Rothermere American Institute Homepage
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Departments of the University of Oxford
Educational institutions established in 2001
American studies
2001 establishments in England