Description: This examination of film genres discusses how various films in five genres reflect or comment on political themes and ideas. The author uses constructivist and feminist political theory to examine the development of the political discourse in these films, and considers new wa...
Brief description: Joel R. Campbell is professor in the political science department of Troy University in Alabama. He teaches in the Master of Science in International Relations (MSIR) program, as well as the undergraduate political science program. He has written extensively on East Asian politics and political economy, along with film, television, and politics.
Review Quotes:
"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." --Hieyeon Keum, University of Seoul
"This is a creative and effective tool to use film to teach international relations." --Douglas John Becker, University of Southern California