Hollywood Raises Political Consciousness ─ Political Messages in Feature Films

The book makes the argument that films improve understanding of social problems and political life. Political messages in films can strike audiences subliminally, and the editor and writers, all but one of them professors of political science or government, offer tools for analyzing that messaging. In the first three chapters, each by a different writer, they discuss the definition of "political film" without agreement. Chapters 4-8 reverse the question, asking how "politics" is defined or portrayed in films. An important focus is on ethnic groups portrayed in films. One chapter is spent on Asian American films and another on films about Thailand and Vietnam. Annotation c2014 Ringgold, Inc., Portland, OR (protoview.com)

Michael Haas (PhD, Stanford University) is President of the Political Film Society and Adjunct Professor at California Polytechnic University, Pomona. He was previously at the University of Hawai?i for 35 years. He has edited and authored over 40 books on government and politics. In 2010, he was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.