Assembling an Encyclopedia of Contemporary American Culture at the cusp of the twenty-first century raises many questions about the very terms in the title, as well as the methods by which we can approach such a massive, variegated and changing topic. As such, it is important to explain the choices we have made, as editors and writers, in preparing this volume as well as how we feel it can best be used. At the same time, having read and thought about the many issues which myriad authors discuss within this volume, it is also important to underscore repeated themes and questions that have arisen about American culture in the course of this project.