This history of the early American film industry identifies key political aspects in the rise of the classical Hollywood system. It uniquely identifies and explores the political development of American film that shows how movies shaped political culture and consumer capitalism in the twentieth century.

Shakespeare between Machiavelli and Hobbes explores Shakespeare's political outlook by comparing some of the playwright's best-known works to the works of Italian political theorist Niccolo Machiavelli and English social contract theorist Thomas Hobbes. This ultimately reveals the materialist principles that underpin Shakespeare's imaginary states.

This book explores happiness research and liberal theory. It treats four American novelists as political thinkers through close textual analysis of their novels. This book concludes that friendship is the real basis of happiness and that it is an alternative to the individualistic pursuit of happiness.

This book explores and evaluates Henry David Thoreau's political thought through the lens of a theory of imagination and considers his legacy for later environmental thought. This book will interest anyone curious about Thoreau's relationship to environmentalism and the intersection of environmental humanities and politics.

This book examines each of Lewis's novels on key themes in the history of political thought and democracy, including freedom and purpose, success and materialism, and nationalism and race. Lewis is revealed to be an unapologetic individualist and a fierce humanitarian.

To understand the movements of democratic society one must appreciate fictional narratives and not depend on rationalistic argumentation and scientific analyses. This volume examines the lessons and effects of storytelling in democratic culture and political life, as it articulates our aspirations, communicates our fears, and criticizes our reality.