"Anti-Americanism" has more definitions than are possible to list; it means something different to many individuals, but is perhaps best understood using Paul Hollander's far-reaching definition: "a predisposition to hostility toward the United States and American society, a relentless critical impulse toward American social, economic, and political institutions, traditions, and values; it entails an aversion to American culture in particular and its influence abroad, often also contempt for the American national character (or what is presumed to be such a character), and dislike of American people, manners, behavior, dress, and so on; rejection of American foreign policy and a firm belief in the malignity of American influence and presence anywhere in the world" (Hollander 1992, p

             339). This general definition does not attempt to limit the scope of anti-Americanism by characterizing it as action only, instead including "aversion" and "dislike" as facets of the phenomenon; nor does it over-reach the ways of interpreting anti-Americanism, as some authors do by including any overt criticism of United States culture or policy as "anti-American" when in fact, some critical analyses are just that-critiques. .

             The very nature of anti-Americanism as an ideology "provides an all-encompassing explanation for global events and can easily accommodate contradictions and even absurdities," according to one scholar (Christie 2002). Some scholars argue that it is "not a comprehensive or coherent belief system or ideology, but rather a series of criticisms and prejudices regarding America that have haphazardly been labeled anti-Americanism" (O'Connor 2004, p. 77). The broadness of the definition-not just actions, but attitudes and biases-can enable blame to be placed on "America" for a host of bad events, regardless of whether the United States directly participated in the events; a cause can always be traced back several steps to America.