Politics in Literature and Film

A special issue of Humanities (ISSN 2076-0787).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 June 2024) | Viewed by 4393

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Department of Languages and Cultures, West Chester University, West Chester, PA 19383, USA
Interests: psychology and literature/film; post-war and post-wall German and Austrian literature and film; trauma narrative

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

What is the relationship between politics and art? How does one influence the other? Novels such as Charles Dickens' Hard Times and Harriet Beecher Stowe's Uncle Tom's Cabin impacted their respective societies. The former triggered new child labor laws in Great Britain; the latter played a role in the abolitionist movement, which, in turn, contributed to the American Civil War. Conversely, how do political views infiltrate art? Leni Riefenstahl's propaganda film Triumph of the Will glorified Hitler and the Nazi party. Some view her film as the best propaganda film ever made, while others extol it for aesthetic qualities such as her innovative cinematic techniques. What is the distinction between propaganda and art, and is it always a clear distinction? 

Papers for this Special Issue should analyze modern literary or cinematic works that explicitly or implicitly contain a political message or have had a significant political impact on 20th or 21st century society. Analyses of these works through feminist, queer theory, post-colonial, or post-modernist lenses are especially welcome. Please submit a paper abstract of about 250 words by 31 December 2023. The abstract should include a brief summary of the work and its political/social context, as well as the approach (feminist or queer theory, etc.) that is used to investigate its political context and its message, its reception among contemporary readers/viewers, and any political or social changes that it triggered in society.

Dr. Margarete J. Landwehr
Guest Editor

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

16 pages, 316 KiB  
Article
Motions in Pictures: From Habermas’s Informal Political Sphere to Formal Politics in the Films Footloose, Land and Freedom and The Beguiled
by Jane Thomas and Sean Tunney
Humanities 2024, 13(6), 152; https://doi.org/10.3390/h13060152 - 4 Nov 2024
Viewed by 462
Abstract
This article analyses three historical fiction films, Footloose, Land and Freedom and The Beguiled, to help illuminate aspects of politics and political theory. We study them to explore the relationship between Habermas’s concepts of the lifeworld and political spheres, which analysts have [...] Read more.
This article analyses three historical fiction films, Footloose, Land and Freedom and The Beguiled, to help illuminate aspects of politics and political theory. We study them to explore the relationship between Habermas’s concepts of the lifeworld and political spheres, which analysts have critiqued as opaque. Drawing on Habermas’s theory of communicative action, we debate prevailing understandings of the implications of his work for deliberative democracy via an exploration of the films. By expanding the definition of the term ‘motion’ (otherwise known as ‘draft resolution’), we relate this concept to these Habermasian themes. Thus, this paper analyses feature film case studies as they incorporate motions into fictionalised accounts. We suggest that focusing on these movies’ motions, embedded in unfolding narratives, can help reconceive Habermas’s work to illustrate fluidity in how people and ideas may move between informal and more formal spheres. Ultimately, by showcasing the importance of motions in political participation, via these movies, we advance the idea that motions may be seen as part of a ladder of involvement, providing further opportunities for encouraging participation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Politics in Literature and Film)
15 pages, 288 KiB  
Article
The Language of Manipulation and Control: Operational Methods of the Securitate in A. Belc’s Film Metronom
by Ecaterina Pavel
Humanities 2023, 12(6), 137; https://doi.org/10.3390/h12060137 - 19 Nov 2023
Viewed by 2961
Abstract
The objective of the present study is to analyze the operational methods employed by the secret police agency (Securitate) in exerting influence and control over individuals within the Romanian communist society, as depicted in the film Metronom directed by Alexandru Belc. Through an [...] Read more.
The objective of the present study is to analyze the operational methods employed by the secret police agency (Securitate) in exerting influence and control over individuals within the Romanian communist society, as depicted in the film Metronom directed by Alexandru Belc. Through an analysis of the dialogue between the protagonist and a Securitate officer, this research explores the tactics used by the Romanian secret police to manipulate and deceive citizens, preserve power, and maintain social control. Drawing on critical discourse analysis and theories of power, this study reveals the subtle and insidious ways in which the Securitate operated within the Romanian society to silence opposition, spread propaganda, and maintain a stranglehold on society. In this line of work, a set of elements has been delineated, aimed at evaluating the manipulative nature of communist discourse strategies. The findings provide insights into the cinematic portrayal of the Securitate in Romanian communist society, highlighting the use of language and discourse as tools for controlling and manipulating both the population and individuals. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Politics in Literature and Film)
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