The United States and Imperialism uses concepts of civilization, identity, the civilizing mission, and cooperation to explain the role of imperialism throughout American history. Ninkovich's original analysis of America as an empire shows how imperialism, anti-imperialism, and geopolitics have all played a role in how the United States made decisions when seeking new territories.

Frank Ninkovich is Professor of History at St John's University. He is the author of several books on United States foreign policy, including The Wilsonian Century (1999), Modernity and Power (1994), Germany and the United States (updated edition, 1994), and The Diplomacy of Ideas (1981).