A Galaxy Here and Now: Historical and Cultural Readings of Star WarsPeter W. Lee Star Wars begins with its famous title sequence, setting the story in the ancient past of a remote galaxy. Yet the phenomenal success of the film, the franchise, and its "expanded universe" is based upon its reflection of historical and cultural milieus here on modern-day Earth. This collection of new essays examine various ways in which George Lucas's saga touches upon contemporary social and political issues. Topics include the impact of the film's score on musical genres, feminism and NASA, the epic mimicry of Western-African and Bedouin cultural motifs, gender identity construction, Cold War narratives in radio and national mythology, and fan interpretations of authorship and authenticity. |
Contents
Galactic Graffiti | 1 |
Manifestations and Transformations of Music from Far Far Away Tom Zlabinger | 7 |
Reworking the American Space Programs Public Image from Miss NASA to Princess Leia Karin Hilck | 33 |
Damsels in Distress Need Not Apply Mara Wood | 62 |
George Lucass ReImagined and Redefined Masculine Identities Erin C Callahan | 84 |
Is the Force a Form of WesternAfrican Epic Mimicry? Gregory E Rutledge | 106 |
The Bedouin Ideal and the True Children of Tatooine Paul Charbel | 138 |
Other editions - View all
A Galaxy Here and Now: Historical and Cultural Readings of Star Wars Peter W. Lee Limited preview - 2016 |
Common terms and phrases
A’Sharad African Ahsoka album American Anakin astronaut audience Bedouin blackface blackface minstrelsy Cantina characters Clone Wars critical cultural Dark Side Darth Vader Death Star desert disco Disney echoes Empire Strikes Back epic Ewok fantasy female feminism feminist galaxy gender George Lucas Han Solo Han’s hero Hett iconic Jabba Jawas jazz Jedi Knights Jerrie Cobb Kenobi Leia’s lightsaber Lucas’s Lucasfilm Luke Skywalker Luke’s masculinity middlebrow Monardo Mos Eisley movie narrative NASA NASA’s nostalgia Obi-Wan one’s original trilogy Padmé performance Phantom Menace political popular prequel trilogy Princess Leia Print Public Radio racial Rebels relationship release role scene science fiction Sith social Solo song space community Special Edition Star Trek Star Wars Episode Star Wars fans Star Wars film Star Wars franchise Star Wars universe Star Wars’s stormtrooper story Tatooine theme Tusken Raiders viewers Wetmore Williams’s music women Yoda York YouTube