Warring Over Valor

By focusing on how the idea of heroism on the battlefield helped construct, perpetuate, and challenge racial and gender hierarchies in the United States between World War I and the present, Warring over Valor provides fresh perspectives on the history of American military heroism.

"This intriguing volume demonstrates how marginalized groups’ identities and experiences were shaped by the hegemonic white, masculine warrior image. The essays are well-researched and simply fascinating." - Edwin A. Martini (author of Agent Orange: History, Science, and the Politics of Uncertainty) "This book sheds light on what people see as the normal hero, while at the same time showing that there are many other deserving people that are heroes and don’t get the same recognition." (Communication Booknotes Quarterly) "This work is highly recommended to anyone seeking a nuanced grasp of the complicated milieu of military heroism, marginalized groups, and the vital intersections between them."  - William A. Taylor (Marine Corps History)

SIMON WENDT is an associate professor of American studies at the Goethe University of Frankfurt in Germany. He is the author or coeditor of several books, including The Spirit and the Shotgun: Armed Resistance and the Struggle for Civil Rights .