Américanisme

Américanisme is a term with several distinct meanings depending on the context. In sociology and cultural studies, it generally refers to the cultural, political, and economic influence of the United States on other countries. This can encompass the spread of American consumer goods, popular culture, democratic ideals, and business practices. Critics sometimes use the term to describe a perceived imposition of American values and lifestyles, while proponents may see it as a diffusion of positive cultural elements.

In a historical context, particularly within France, américanisme referred to a movement in the late 19th and early 20th centuries where certain Catholic intellectuals sought to adapt Church practices and doctrines to be more in line with modern, American-style democratic and liberal principles. This was often seen as a response to anticlericalism and a way to make Catholicism more relevant in a changing society. However, this theological interpretation of américanisme was ultimately condemned by Pope Pius X in 1910.

More broadly, américanisme can also simply denote anything related to America or its people, in a way analogous to how terms like "francophone" or "hispanophone" are used. The specific meaning is usually discernible from the surrounding discussion.