Adopting and developing a ‘cultural politics’ approach

This comprehensive study explores how Hollywood movies generate and reflect political myths about social and personal life that profoundly influence how we understand power relations. Instead of looking at genre, it employs three broad categories of film.

‘Security’ films

Present ideas concerning public order and disorder, citizen–state relations and the politics of fear.

‘Relationalities’ films

Highlight personal and intimate politics, bringing norms about identities, gender and sexuality into focus.

‘Socially critical’ films

Endow particular issues and ideas with more overtly political significance. The book considers these categories as global political technologies implicated in hegemonic and ‘soft power’ relations whose reach is both deep and broad.