The Interplay Between Political Theory and Movies

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-x

   PDF

2. Movies and Social Science

   • Ulrich Hamenstädt

   Pages 1-14

3. Political Theory and Movies

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 15-15

      PDF

   2. Pierre Bourdieu and The Godfather

      • André Beckershoff

      Pages 17-31

   3. The Politics of Exception as Fiction: Reading Agamben Through The Batman

      • Stephan Engelkamp

      Pages 33-47

   4. Michel Foucault and the Cuckoo’s Nest

      • Ulrich Hamenstädt

      Pages 49-62

   5. The Concept of “Russian Europeans” in an Anti-war Film The Cuckoo

      • Sergei Akopov

      Pages 63-78

   6. Antagonism on Animal Farm

      • Manon Westphal

      Pages 79-94

4. Political Sociology and Movies

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 95-95

      PDF

   2. ‘It’s the Economy, Stupid’: Politico-Economic Theories and Cinematic Language in The Big Short

      • Jonas Nesselhauf

      Pages 97-117

   3. The Walking Dead and Breakdown Theories of Collective Action

      • Peter Bescherer

      Pages 119-134

   4. “Winter Is Coming?” Game of Thrones and Realist Thinking

      • Wolfgang Muno

      Pages 135-149

   5. ‘Your Revolution Is Over!’: Seeing The Big Lebowski Through the Lens of Anarchism

      • Philip Hüpkes

      Pages 151-167

   6. Polanyi Twisted

      • Ulrich Hamenstädt

      Pages 169-180

5. International Relations and Movies

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 181-181

      PDF

   2. G for Gramsci: Critical Perspectives on Power in V for Vendetta

      • Katharina Glaab

      Pages 183-194

   3. “Beasts of No Nation”: Afropessimism and the Rationality of Warfare in Africa

      • Jan Sändig

      Pages 195-215

   4. “This Is Africa”: The Melian Dialogue in Blood Diamond

      • Burcu Sunar Cankurtaran

      Pages 217-234

   5. Empire, Multitude, and the Fight Club

      • Michèle Meditz, Ulrich Hamenstädt

      Pages 235-247

This book presents essays and scientific contributions examining the link between popular media and politics. The essays focus on the question of how political and social change, concepts of power, and utopian elements are reflected in selected films and television series. The book applies a political science perspective, covering theories from political philosophy, political sociology and international relations, and examines a wide range of movies and TV series, such as The Godfather, Fight Club, The Walking Dead and Game of Thrones. It will appeal to anyone interested in studying how political ideas, concepts and messages can be illustrated and visualized using the complex media of movies and TV series. 

• Popular media
• Popular media and politics
• Movies and TV series
• Political philosophy
• Political sociology
• International relations
• media research

• Institute for Political Science, University of Münster, Muenster, Germany

  Ulrich Hamenstädt

Ulrich Hamenstädt is a lecturer for Politics at the University of Muenster. He teaches international relations, political theory, and methods. In the last years he wrote several books, including publications on the link between political theory and movies.

Policies and ethics