The idea of an American empire is now again very much in the news.

The USA is the dominant player in the world. It is an economic power-house. In military terms it has no equal and its products, from blue jeans to Disney, have infiltrated cultures all over the globe.

The USA appears both as one of the chief advocates and beneficiaries of
globalisation.

But the ubiquity of American power and influence has a downside. The USA is both admired and reviled; often at one and the same time.

Jonathan Marcus sets out on a journey to examine America’s place in the modern world.