New Uses for Orientalism
Wider Applications of a Versatile Theory by Tom Durwood ABSTRACT A college lit teacher makes the argument for broader applications of the late Edward Said’s literary theory of Orientalism. The author argues that...
Author: empi5100
How Stanley Kubrick Lost His Way
Kubrick and the Rule of Empire By Tom Durwood Stanley Kubrick circa 1949. LOOK Magazine Collection, Library of Congress An English teacher’s “empire theory of literature” sheds a little light on the colossus...
EMPIRE AND EDUCATION ARE CLOSELY LINKED
Schools and Empire An Interview with Daniel T. Kirsch INTRODUCTION Our higher-education system is at a crossroads. America’s impressive college enrollment rate—almost two-thirds of high school completers enroll within one year of graduation—is very...
Harry Potter: Last of the Breed
A Final Golden Age Work to Close the Door on High Empire Kid Lit Troll statue in Scandinavian park Credit: Wikimedia Commons by Tom Durwood Now that we have a bit of distance, we...
“The Lion King” and Its Message of Social Darwinism
A Cultural Critic Sees Undertones of Fascism in the Popular Story Dan Hassler-Forest Introduction In this smart, provocative article and interview, cultural critic Dan Hassler-Forest warns us that loaded images and ideas may lurk...
Star Wars and Government
The Heart of the Space-Based Franchise Lies in Civics Alexander Maxwell Editor’s Introduction Without some form of government, we are stuck in Thomas Hobbes’ hellish state of nature, ‘the war of all against all.’...
Imperialism in the “Tarzan” Franchise
Anna Kozak What the King of the Jungle Reveals About Us Editor’s Introduction What we call “Tarzan” is a sprawling collection, or mini-industry, of stories. The original Edgar Rice Burroughs adventure novel, “Tarzan...
Empire and Higher Education in Nnedi Okorafor’s “Binti”
Breaking Colonial Conventions, Confronting Past and Future by Amanda Lagji Editor’s Introduction “The Empire Writes Back” is a powerful concept. It is a phrase coined by Salman Rushdie in a magazine article and then...
How We See ‘The Other’ in Tintin
Emma Walker The Role of Empire in One of Our Most Popular Comics Editor’s Introduction In 1879, King Leopold of Belgium hired a British explorer (Henry...
Polar Bears and the Real Arctic
ROUGH DRAFT Phillip Pullman, Polar Bears and the Real Arctic R.L. Shields How a Close Reading of History Matters to “His Dark Materials” ...
