Reimagining the American Dream: Decolonizing and Reclaiming a National Ethos

• In Event: The United States at 250: Neo-Patriotism, Propaganda, and History

Abstract

The American dream is a United States-based meritocratic ethos that a rigorous work ethic will result in socioeconomic mobility and fulfillment. In the context of declining belief in the American dream, this article asks how people are reacting to and redesigning the American dream concept. Drawing from interviews with sixty-five respondents from Oregon who identify with various racial groups, this article demonstrates that critiques of the American dream as a racist tool of settler colonialism and racial capitalism are a springboard for transforming it. Expanding the notion of “homemaking” (Diab and Jamal 2025; Hondagneu-Sotelo and Pastor 2021) from the local-level to the national imaginary, this article finds that respondents endeavor to cultivate belonging in the context of racial and class hierarchies and ongoing settler-colonialism in three main ways. Aiming to ameliorate shortcomings, respondents redesign the American dream by: a) personalizing it to prioritize well-being beyond material gain, b) collectivizing it to emphasize care and connection over individual advancement, and c) advancing a decolonial and race, class, and culturally-inclusive vision that rejects oppressive systems. Respondents reframe the American dream from an exclusionary ideal into one that emphasizes individualized self-expression, connection to a collective, and a more inclusive future.

Authors

• Jessica Vasquez-Tokos, University of Oregon

• Alejandra Pedraza, University of Oregon