Homer Simpson Goes to Washington

Homer Simpson Goes to Washington
Author: Joseph J. Foy
Publisher: University Press of Kentucky
Total Pages: 290
Release: 2014-10-17
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 0813159989

The modern landscape of American entertainment is filled with commentary on the state of the union. Viewers turn to The Daily Show instead of Fox or CNN, satirical films such as Wag the Dog, cartoons like The Simpsons, or controversial action dramas similar to 24 in order to learn more about current events in the United States. Popular culture is educating America more than the nightly news, aiding viewers in their quest to understand the American political system. In Homer Simpson Goes to Washington: American Politics through Popular Culture, Joseph J. Foy and other contributing scholars offer diverse political perspectives through the framework of popular culture. From the classic film Mr. Smith Goes to Washington to the cutting-edge television program Chappelle's Show, a wide spectrum of entertainment media is used to explain the complexities of U.S. politics and how audiences engage with them. Popular culture and politics have never been so intertwined in the American consciousness as they are today. As political knowledge becomes increasingly fragmented, Homer Simpson Goes to Washington explains how popular culture can actually help connect people to their government.

Homer Simpson Marches on Washington

Homer Simpson Marches on Washington
Author: Timothy M. Dale
Publisher: University Press of Kentucky
Total Pages: 376
Release: 2010-03-19
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 0813139708

A volume of enlightening essays on how TV shows, movies, and music can change hearts and minds. Amid all its frenetic humor, the long-running animated hit The Simpsons has often questioned what is culturally acceptable, wading into controversial subjects like gay rights, the war on terror, religion, and animal rights. This subtle form of political analysis is effective in changing opinions and attitudes on a large scale. Homer Simpson Marches on Washington explores the transformative power that enables popular culture to influence political agendas, frame the consciousness of audiences, and create profound shifts in values and ideals. To investigate the full spectrum of popular culture in a democratic society, editors Timothy M. Dale and Joseph J. Foy gather a top-notch team of scholars who use television shows such as Star Trek, The X-Files, All in the Family, The View, The Daily Show, and The Colbert Report, as well as movies and popular music, to investigate contemporary issues in American popular culture.

The Queen of America Goes to Washington City

The Queen of America Goes to Washington City
Author: Lauren Gail Berlant
Publisher: Duke University Press
Total Pages: 324
Release: 1997
Genre: Family & Relationships
ISBN: 9780822319245

Drawing on literature, the law, and popular media--and "taking her (counter)cue from that celebrated sitcom of American life, 'The Reagan Years'" (Homi K. Bhabha)--Berlant presents a stunning and major statement about the nation and its citizens in an age of mass mediation. Her intriguing narratives and gallery of images will challenge readers to rethink what it means to be an American and seek salvation in its promise. 57 photos.

Homer Simpson Marches on Washington

Homer Simpson Marches on Washington
Author: Timothy M. Dale
Publisher: University Press of Kentucky
Total Pages: 320
Release: 2010-03-19
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 0813173752

The Simpsons questions what is culturally acceptable, showcasing controversial issues like homosexuality, animal rights, the war on terror, and religion. This subtle form of political analysis is effective in changing opinions and attitudes on a large scale. Homer Simpson Marches on Washington explores the transformative power that enables popular culture to influence political agendas, frame the consciousness of audiences, and create profound shifts in values and ideals. To investigate the full spectrum of popular culture in a democratic society, editors Timothy M. Dale and Joseph J. Foy gather a top-notch team of scholars who use television shows such as Star Trek, The X-Files, All in the Family, The View, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, and The Colbert Report, as well as movies and popular music, to investigate contemporary issues in American popular culture.

Homer Economicus

Homer Economicus
Author: Joshua Hall
Publisher: Stanford University Press
Total Pages: 256
Release: 2014-05-14
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 0804791821

In Homer Economicus a cast of lively contributors takes a field trip to Springfield, where the Simpsons reveal that economics is everywhere. By exploring the hometown of television's first family, this book provides readers with the economic tools and insights to guide them at work, at home, and at the ballot box. Since The Simpsons centers on the daily lives of the Simpson family and its colorful neighbors, three opening chapters focus on individual behavior and decision-making, introducing readers to the economic way of thinking about the world. Part II guides readers through six chapters on money, markets, and government. A third and final section discusses timely topics in applied microeconomics, including immigration, gambling, and health care as seen in The Simpsons. Reinforcing the nuts and bolts laid out in any principles text in an entertaining and culturally relevant way, this book is an excellent teaching resource that will also be at home on the bookshelf of an avid reader of pop economics.

Women and the White House

Women and the White House
Author: Justin S. Vaughn
Publisher: University Press of Kentucky
Total Pages: 332
Release: 2013
Genre: History
ISBN: 081314101X

Known as the Great Compromiser, Henry Clay earned his title by addressing sectional tensions over slavery and forestalling civil war in the United States. Today he is still regarded as one of the most important political figures in American history. As Speaker of the House of Representatives and secretary of state, Clay left an indelible mark on American politics at a time when the country's solidarity was threatened by inner turmoil, and scholars have thoroughly chronicled his political achievements. However, little attention has been paid to his extensive family legacy. In The Family Legacy of Henry Clay: In the Shadow of a Kentucky Patriarch, Lindsey Apple explores the personal history of this famed American and examines the impact of his legacy on future generations of Clays. Apple's study delves into the family's struggles with physical and emotional problems such as depression and alcoholism. The book also analyzes the role of financial stress as the family fought to reestablish its fortune in the years after the Civil War. Apple's extensively researched volume illuminates a little-discussed aspect of Clay's life and heritage, and highlights the achievements and contributions of one of Kentucky's most distinguished families.

Steven Spielberg and Philosophy

Steven Spielberg and Philosophy
Author: Dean Kowalski
Publisher: University Press of Kentucky
Total Pages: 290
Release: 2008-11-21
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 0813125278

Without question, few directors have had such a powerful influence on the film industry and the moviegoing public as Steven Spielberg. This book investigates Spielberg's art to illuminate the nature of humanity. It explores themes such as cinematic realism, fictional belief, terrorism, family ethics, consciousness, and virtue and moral character.

Homer Simpson Ponders Politics

Homer Simpson Ponders Politics
Author: Joseph J. Foy
Publisher: University Press of Kentucky
Total Pages: 272
Release: 2013-05-01
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 0813141516

It is often said that the poet Homer "educated" ancient Greece. Joseph J. Foy and Timothy M. Dale have assembled a team of notable scholars who argue, quite persuasively, that Homer Simpson and his ilk are educating America and offering insights into the social order and the human condition. Following Homer Simpson Goes to Washington (winner of the John G. Cawelti Award for Best Textbook or Primer on American and Popular Culture) and Homer Simpson Marches on Washington, this exceptional volume reveals how books like J. R. R. Tolkien's The Hobbit and J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter, movies like Avatar and Star Wars, and television shows like The Office and Firefly define Americans' perceptions of society. The authors expand the discussion to explore the ways in which political theories play out in popular culture. Homer Simpson Ponders Politics includes a foreword by fantasy author Margaret Weis (coauthor/creator of the Dragonlance novels and game world) and is divided according to eras and themes in political thought: The first section explores civic virtue, applying the work of Plato and Aristotle to modern media. Part 2 draws on the philosophy of Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, and Smith as a framework for understanding the role of the state. Part 3 explores the work of theorists such as Kant and Marx, and the final section investigates the ways in which movies and newer forms of electronic media either support or challenge the underlying assumptions of the democratic order. The result is an engaging read for undergraduate students as well as anyone interested in popular culture.

Entertaining Politics

Entertaining Politics
Author: Jeffrey P. Jones
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield
Total Pages: 332
Release: 2010
Genre: Language Arts & Disciplines
ISBN: 9780742565289

Contrary to arguments that television is detrimental to democracy, 'Entertaining Politics' explores the role of new political television in changing civic culture.

SpongeBob SquarePants and Philosophy

SpongeBob SquarePants and Philosophy
Author: Joseph J. Foy
Publisher: Open Court Publishing
Total Pages: 240
Release: 2011
Genre: Performing Arts
ISBN: 0812697308

Offers a selection of essays using the popular children's television program characters, providing a humorous look at the study of philosophy and philosophical topics.