Katy
A Galaxy Not So Far Away: Star Wars as a Mirror of American Politics
Star Wars is an iconic form of American entertainment. With a massive fanbase that spans across many generations, the franchise has retained cultural relevance since its release in 1977. The way that the fans engage with the series, though, shapes its meaning. A common sentiment amongst fans is to “Keep politics out of Star Wars,” especially after Disney bought Star Wars. However, Star Wars has always been a political piece of media. George Lucas explicitly intended Emperor Palpatine to mirror Richard Nixon, and the Empire represented the United States during its involvement in the Vietnam War. Because politics are inherent to interpreting Star Wars, this begs the question: How can Star Wars help us understand modern-day politics? There is a surplus of historical parallels throughout the movies and TV shows, and today, the audience can use historical context to apply the rhetoric of Star Wars to our modern-day political climate. What are the telltale factors of the demise of democracy? What do distinct characters’ paths to joining the rebellion show us about how everyday people can make a change? While Star Wars is not necessarily a guide for how to conduct a society, the familiar characters and tropes make more complex political ideas much more digestible to an expansive audience.
WATCH HERE
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Star Wars is an iconic form of American entertainment. With a massive fanbase that spans across many generations, the franchise has retained cultural relevance since its release in 1977. The way that the fans engage with the series, though, shapes its meaning. A common sentiment amongst fans is to “Keep politics out of Star Wars,” especially after Disney bought Star Wars. However, Star Wars has always been a political piece of media. George Lucas explicitly intended Emperor Palpatine to mirror Richard Nixon, and the Empire represented the United States during its involvement in the Vietnam War. Because politics are inherent to interpreting Star Wars, this begs the question: How can Star Wars help us understand modern-day politics? There is a surplus of historical parallels throughout the movies and TV shows, and today, the audience can use historical context to apply the rhetoric of Star Wars to our modern-day political climate. What are the telltale factors of the demise of democracy? What do distinct characters’ paths to joining the rebellion show us about how everyday people can make a change? While Star Wars is not necessarily a guide for how to conduct a society, the familiar characters and tropes make more complex political ideas much more digestible to an expansive audience.
WATCH HERE
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