Description
Book SynopsisEntertainment media are rife with material that touches on the political. The stories with which we entertain ourselves often show us, for better or worse, that everything can be solved by the rise of an individual hero, and that the best way to deal with a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun. Our stories portray individuals along the lines of gender, racial, and ethnic stereotypes; offer us villains that are one-dimensional characters driven by evil; and show us politicians who are almost always corrupt, self-serving, and/or incompetent. They offer up models for how to deal with oppressive authority and they typically portray worlds that are just, where those who do the right thing come out on top. Entire entertainment genres, with their shared story telling conventions and common plot devices, provide lessons and perspectives that are relevant to how the public sees political issues. The stories that entertain us show us all these things and more, but to what effect? Does the
Trade ReviewSo helpful to have an understandable summary of what we currently know about how someone’s political opinions are galvanized when they get swept up by a story. I am sure it will prove very useful for storytellers, their audience, and narratologists in the years to come. -- Tom van Laer, University of London
Once again, Gierzynski shows us what it means for social scientists to take pop culture seriously. A must read for students, educators, and fans. -- Charli Carpenter, University of Massachusetts Amherst
Table of ContentsIntroduction
Chapter 1: The Potentially Influential Political Content of Entertainment Media
Chapter 2: The How and When of Entertainment Media Effects
Chapter 3: Game of Thrones and the Belief in a Just World
Chapter 4: House of Cards Effects
Chapter 5: Sci Fi
Chapter 6: Villains of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Superhero Genres
Chapter 7: News Parody Shows, Cynicism and Skepticism
Chapter 8: Fictional Leaders and Support for Female Candidates
Conclusion
Appendix 1: Questions for Study 1
Appendix 2: Unique Questions Used in Study 2 (GoT Group)
Appendix 3: Questions Used in Study 3 (The Hobbit Group Version)
Appendix 4: Questions used in House of Cards Study 3
Appendix 5: Questions Used in Science Fiction Experiment and Survey
Appendix 6: Villain Survey
Appendix 7: TDS and TCR Studies
Appendix 8: Questionnaire for Leadership and Gender Experiment
Bibliography
