Politics in Gotham

In Politics in Gotham, scholars from a variety of fieldspolitical science, philosophy, law, and othersprovide answers to the question: What does Batman have to do with politics? Contributors use the Batman canon, from the comics to the feature films, to explore a broad range of issues in politics and political thought. What can Batman's role in Gotham City teach us about democracy? How do Batman's vigilantism and his violence fit within a society committed to the rule of law? What's the relationship between politics in Gotham and politics in our own communities? From Machiavelli to the fake news phenomenon, this book provides a compelling introduction to the politics behind one of the world's most enduring pop culture figures.

Uses popular culture phenomenon of Batman and the Batman universe to explore issues of politics and political thought Provides a reader-friendly introduction to key issues in political thought and political theory Compiles together interdisciplinary scholarship at the crossroads of political science, philosophy, film studies, comics studies, and popular culture

Autorentext

Damien K. Picariello is Assistant Professor of Political Science at the University of South Carolina Sumter, USA****

Klappentext

In Politics in Gotham, scholars from a variety of fields political science, philosophy, law, and others provide answers to the question: What does Batman have to do with politics? Contributors use the Batman canon, from the comics to the feature films, to explore a broad range of issues in politics and political thought. What can Batman s role in Gotham City teach us about democracy? How do Batman s vigilantism and his violence fit within a society committed to the rule of law? What s the relationship between politics in Gotham and politics in our own communities? From Machiavelli to the fake news phenomenon, this book provides a compelling introduction to the politics behind one of the world s most enduring pop culture figures.

Inhalt

1. Introduction: I Don't Want Batman as President.- 2. Justice Unmasked.- 3. The Dark Knight: Toward a Democratic Tragedy.- 4. The Heroism of 'Sober Expectations'.- 5. Deconstructing Batman's Legitimacy: The Radical Political Critique of Christopher Nolan's Batman Cycle.- 6. Batman the Noble Dog: The Costs of Spiritedness for the Individual and Society.- 7. The Dark Prince of the Republic: Machiavelli, Batman, and Gotham City.- 8. The Lion, the Fox, and the Bat: The Animal Nature of Machiavelli's The Prince and Batman.- 9. Criminal Justice in Gotham: The Role of the Dark Knight.- 10. The Retributive Knight.- 11. Politics as 'the Product of Everything You Fear': Scarecrow as Phobia Entrepreneur.- 12. #FAKENEWS in Gotham City.- 13. Batgirls and the Politics of Feminism in Gotham.- 14. Dawn of Justice: Accountability, Revisioning, and Batman in the 21st Century.