problems and the wealth gap. we set out to see what it was. >> how do you define it? >> guest: what is interesting is it is very resilient. it is codified in the declaration of independence. certain freedoms, opportunities, but it has had to change according to the challenges at the time. one of the authors talked about early catholics that immigrated here and the idea of the dream had to come together because children could not go to the previous school. it was communal about education. overtime, it has become more materialistic. getting ahead, monday, but he also finds americans find it is about wanting a house cover your children to do better did you, coming from a low place to get ahead. very spiritual things like peace. some of the authors say we need to go back to that communal idea. it was a segue it is individualistic to look out for yourself but the authors said the new global generation is part of what is happening is less materialistic and the fact that so many are not able to achieve the dream right now. after 9/11 it changed to more spiritual because americans had a wake-up call. >> host: professor hanson hanson, where did the term american dream come from? >> guest: and author then a historian used to describe the exceptional with some of americans as to todt hill came over and said i am jealous of these people of every one anticipating they can get ahead. it predates the declaration of independence. one of the authors it is to achieve the american dream. in literature and history early on, use that term every american president does better when they can get americans to connect with them because they have a vision of a dream. obama is the quintessential priest of the civil religion of the american dream. look where he came from, how he got here common name name, skin color more americans became hopeful so the recession is making people slightly fearful then we see someone who has made it then there is hope as well. >> host: does the american dream differ by race? at. >> guest: it is amazing how similar it is. won his children, one is happiness, have a call with your children in the school. attitudes are very similar. this dream is even more powerful for people who have the of ways to go. with social mobility. but to realize a dream the lucky that segregation of housing and the history of race and in the quality is of concern. so by race minorities believe even stronger than others on the progress towards it has lower progress. >> host: what about by gender? >> guest: i was hoping you would ask. that is my chapter. the similarity about resilient about this dream is there is a commonality among many americans that in the way some cultures don't have this. men and women are very similar. women have not achieved as much but whitman are slightly more spiritual period materialistic on men on what the dream means to them and they are slightly more likely to an acknowledged the quality of the jury. >> host: professor hinson when it comes to in the quality does the american dream perpetuate that or support living with that? >> yes. that is a hard one. and the answer is complex from a social scientist. it does make it harder than easier but it is a dialect. having the hope is something we use that term agency they think they can get ahead. so the jury is agency even if i am for, a recent immigrant, it is possible. it is possible. there is no limits in this culture what people think anyone can do. it is definitely a positive to help people to work harder to achieve the dream. the downside is irresponsible for americans to believe in a dream for freedom for all when we have class and race and gender discrimination in. and basically those who have not gotten ahead have not worked hardy enough. breed need to change our vision tuesday commuted the idea which was the original version. it is not about me or you but us in the belief thinking about policies policies, opportunity if people do try. then it could work in a stronger way in and not just be a false promise. >> host: one of president obama is demes is income disparity. >> guest: i am so glad because presidential politics in the books is the idea of hope and possibility is stressed more than the idea of difficulty of equality. sometimes people don't want to bring up negative things or americans don't want to hear about them. many americans think we have solved these problems. but we haven't. it is clear we haven't but if illogically people convince themselves. with the obama and not having to run again is freer not too many presidents bring up for race or inequality. is tremendous and wonderful and will work to american signal a gene we have the dream but what do we do to ensure what we thought the dream was of freedom and opportunity for anyone? even anyone coming from a less well off family? >> host: earlier professor you said american presidents who have utilized the american dream politically have been successful. besides barack obama what are other examples? >> guest: fdr brought it up in a separate and modest way to try to get americans through the recession. ronald reagan used it to build self-confidence during a time of the conflict and difficulty with attitudes to americans. what do people think globally about us and our dream? because as i travel that we just aren't exploiting some one or the global situation to get our wealth which might be the definition of the dream for some. on the a very and i would like to see other countries have a version of the dream that is a unique but in falls they hope. to have freedom and opportunities. i did a preview show with people calling in. what i love is everyone can connect. it immigrants, and a small business owner with a totally different spin. he said take away the regulations. i cannot run my business. and the immigrant who was a mexican said it is those regulations that i came here for. i want the safety of a government that i can trust. i and of how everyone connects in a way with their own history that connects to the larger history of this nation. >> host: have we ever lost our faith in the american dream? >> guest: it is down now with the mortgage crisis, the great recession the numbers are trending down a and little better. but the young people is where our hope is i think. they are very hopeful that their version is slightly different. i think they connect the jury with the global stage more than any other generation. i also find the polls show a majority of americans so it is still a majority but that number is slightly smaller than the past. >> host: what do you want people to take away from your book? at. >> guest: the dream is a reality that there is work that needs to be done to keep it strong. they have not lost hope. americans to hold responsibility to a larger community to ensure that these freedoms have been fought for really are available to everyone. >> host: here is the cover. the american dream in the 21st century. one of the:editors. booktv on c-span2. accidental muslims because ultimately many of us are of a certain religion of the accident of birth. lee and not alone that way but that happened to many americans and it forces you to grapple with the idea to be muslim. because we were on trial. every pundit was the expert and we were told you needed to be liberated from the violence of islam that was apparent to the theology. of what was coming to me. as the mothe

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