1 page double spaced essay on new york times article

by

Humanities

In “The Burden,” an essay that appeared in the New York Times Magazine on January 5, 2003, Michael Ignatieff explores whether the United States has been an empire, and, if so, what kind of empire it has been. He then asks, in the context of the nation’s imminent invasion of Iraq in 2003, whether the United States should simply admit that it is an empire and embrace that identity. After reading “The Burden,” I want you to answer the following questions:

  • What is the “burden” of which Ignatieff writes?
  • What are the particular perils of assuming that burden?
  • After reading his piece, do you think that this is a burden that the U.S. should take on?