Politics Go to the Movies

Joel R. Campbell is associate professor of political science in the Pacific Region (Japan and South Korea) in the Global Campus program of Troy University.

• Introduction: Magic in the Dark—and Making the Most of a Dark TimeChapter 1: Politics Go Hollywood: Making Sense of Genre Movies and PoliticsChapter 2: Gangsters Give Films and TV an Offer They Can’t RefuseChapter 3: Politics of Paranoia and Anger: Thriller and Action MoviesChapter 4: Superheroes Save Our Politics and International RelationsChapter 5: Movies Go to War: Shifting Images of Humans’ Most Searing ExperienceChapter 6: Let’s Play Cowboys and Politicos: The Imagined West, Society, and PoliticsChapter 7: Other Genres, Other Politics: From Love Stories to Religious Movies

This is an amazing read. I just couldn’t put the book down. I’ve never seen a text that so captivatingly explains the relationship of film genres to politics and international relations. Campbell weaves political theory, film criticism, and history into an appealing mix, while keeping the reader engaged with the unfolding development of five film types—gangster, thriller and action, superhero, war, and western movies. His application of constructivism makes perfect sense, as it captures the constantly shifting dynamics of filmed presentations of political and IR issues. His discussions of women in each genre illustrate how various marginalized groups often are not adequately represented on-screen. Finally, he briefly walks the reader through several other genres, showing how politics can be found in almost any kind of movie. Movies are like time capsules, indicating how we think about society and politics in any era, and this book is one of the best in helping students and the general public better understand how it all works.