Ethnicity and Xenophobia in Star Wars

An alien in the Empire?

I'd been planning on writing a post about ethnicity and Xenophobia in Star Wars for a while, but recent news made this a higher priority for me. In particular, ForceCast Episode #276 had an interesting discussion of xenophobia in the Empire. The discussion was sparked by the picture on the right, which shows an Imperial Inquisitor from the upcoming Star Wars: Rebels animated series.

What's wrong with this photo? Well, the Inquisitor is an alien, a Pau'an to be precise. However, the Empire as depicted in the Original Trilogy clearly had strains of xenophobia. Imperial ships were only staffed with human crews. White, male humans. Hearkening back to my posts on Images of Power, the Empire was clearly not a friendly place for aliens.

Science Fiction and Politics Podcast

I recently came across a podcast that should really appeal to any Poli-Sci Jedi. Courtney Brown, Professor of Political Science at Emory University, has posted lectures from his Science Fiction and Politics class on iTunes. The podcast focuses on science fiction literature, not movies, so unfortunately Star Wars is not represented on the curriculum. Nevertheless, the lectures include classics such as Ender's Game and Foundation.

Definitely worth checking out if you want to see what political scientists get out of science fiction. This is the type of class I'd love to teach one day. Of course, I would include Star Wars, as well as Star Trek and Battlestar Galactica.

BOOK REVIEW: Star Wars Heresies

In addition to Star Wars, I am also a fan of The Lord of the Rings and have been impressed with the high-quality academic discussion of the themes and imagery in Tolkien's legendarium available through The Tolkien Professor podcast and the Mythgard Institute. Part of the reason I created Poli-Sci Jedi was because I felt that the Star Wars saga deserves that same level of critical attention. With a few exceptions (including Star Wars and History), there's a remarkable dearth of literary criticism of the movies.

Anakin as baby Jesus? (Star Wars Heresies)

Paul F. McDonald, librarian and consummate Star Wars fan, took matters into his own hands with his new book, The Star Wars Heresies. The book's mission is to expose the deeper mythological themes embedded within the Prequel Trilogy.

There are of course other books about Star Wars and philosophy (e.g., Star Wars and Philosophy: More Powerful than You Can Possibly Imagine) and myth (e.g., Star Wars: The Magic of Myth), but The Star Wars Heresies still brings enough new material to the table to make it feel fresh. First, The Star Wars Heresies focuses only on the Prequels. Mentions are made to the Original Trilogy, Clone Wars, and Expended Universe - particularly the recent Darth Plagueis novel - but only to the extent they illustrate a particular point. Given that the Prequels are regarded by some as the black sheep in the Star Wars family, it's easy for authors to zero in on the Original Trilogy, especially the ever-quotable Yoda. Fortunately, by excluding its more popular cousin, McDonald is able to engage in a much closer analysis of the Prequel story.

Second, many other works only point out parallels to Joseph Campbell's "hero's journey" or Buddhism, but McDonald goes beyond those sources. He draws upon impressive range of real-world mythological and religious traditions, including obscure Chinese legends and linguistic translations of the names of key characters (it turns out Qui-Gon Jinn's name foreshadows his role at the end of Revenge of the Sith). The Star Wars Heresies can't be categorized quite so cleanly as about philosophy, religion, mythology, or politics because it draws upon all of these fields.

BOOK REVIEW: Star Wars: Razor's Edge

I've had the privilege of receiving advance reading copies of several upcoming Star Wars novels and permission to share my thoughts with readers. I will be posting exclusive reviews on Poli-Sci Jedi. Feel free to share, but if you do so please cite Poli-Sci Jedi as the source.

This review is about Star Wars: Razor's Edge (Empire and Rebellion), due to be released on September 24. The book has been marketed as an adventure starring Leia, our favorite Star Wars politician. Enjoy!

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BOOK REVIEW: Star Wars: Kenobi (repost)

Apologies for the dearth of posts, political science here on Earth is taking more of my time recently. I did want to post a reminder that Star Wars: Kenobi officially comes out this Tuesday, August 27. While I read it a few weeks ago, I definitely plan on picking up the audiobook. In the meantime, I thought I'd repost my original review. Enjoy!

P.S. - Razor's Edge review is coming soon...

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Ever wonder what would happen if George Lucas and Joss Whedon combined forces to make a Star Wars—Firefly crossover?

Apparently, John Jackson Miller (JJM) did because Star Wars: Kenobi is a bona fide Star Wars Western novel. Del Rey Publishing has been taking the Star Wars franchise into new genres in recent years, from horror (Red Harvest) to detective stories (Shadow Games). Kenobi is probably one of the better results of this effort. It certainly reads unlike any other Star Wars book in recent memory. So, does it live up to the hype? Will this transform our image of Obi-Wan Kenobi the way Plagueis transformed our image of Sidious? Find out below:

Tell or Show?

io9 has an article claiming that A New Hope engages in better world-building than The Phantom Menace. While it does get into some of the usual Prequel-bashing, it does raise a serious question. In the Original Trilogy, we never saw the halls of political power on-camera. They were always off-camera and related by third parties, such as when Tarkin infamously tells the Death Star Committee* that the Emperor had disbanded the Senate. By contrast, with the Prequels, we see the Galactic Senate and we see major events transpire in the Senate, such as when Palpatine introduces the New Order.

Typically, English professors will generally advise that artists and authors should "show, not tell" important events. However, many Star Wars fans feel that the Senate scenes are amongst the weakest in the Prequels. So what's wrong with showing in this case?

BOOK REVIEW: Star Wars: Crucible

I've had the privilege of receiving advance reading copies of several upcoming Star Wars novels and permission to share my thoughts with readers. Over the next few weeks, I will be posting exclusive reviews on Poli-Sci Jedi. Feel free to share, but if you do so please cite Poli-Sci Jedi as the source.

This first review is about Star Wars Crucible, due to be released on July 9. Enjoy!

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Crucible is a hard book for me to rate. I’m not the biggest fan of Troy Denning’s Star Wars books. There’s a lot to this book that I didn’t like. However, there is an excellent payoff at the end so I definitely recommend reading it. I will try to keep this review spoiler-free, but with the recognition that I can’t properly explain exactly what I liked about the book without at least mentioning the ending.

BOOK REVIEW: Star Wars: Kenobi

I've had the privilege of receiving advance reading copies of several upcoming Star Wars novels and permission to share my thoughts with readers. Over the next few weeks, I will be posting exclusive reviews on Poli-Sci Jedi. Feel free to share, but if you do so please cite Poli-Sci Jedi as the source.

This first review is about Star Wars: Kenobi, due to be released on August 27. I promise that at least one upcoming review will focus on a very important Star Wars politician. Enjoy!

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Ever wonder what would happen if George Lucas and Joss Whedon combined forces to make a Star Wars—Firefly crossover?

Apparently, John Jackson Miller (JJM) did because Star Wars: Kenobi is a bona fide Star Wars Western novel. Del Rey Publishing has been taking the Star Wars franchise into new genres in recent years, from horror (Red Harvest) to detective stories (Shadow Games). Kenobi is probably one of the better results of this effort. It certainly reads unlike any other Star Wars book in recent memory. So, does it live up to the hype? Will this transform our image of Obi-Wan Kenobi the way Plagueis transformed our image of Sidious? Find out below:

Attachment is not so much forbidden

Don't do it, Ani, marriage is evil!

George Lucas has removed himself from the ranks of the Jedi bachelorhood. As we all know, Jedi are forbidden from attachments. Attachments lead to things like fear, anger, hate, and suffering. And Darth Vader.

Fortunately, when George Lucas got married to Mellody Hobson this past weekend, he looked like anyone but Vader. Frankly, he looked happier than he has in a long time. And that calls for congratulations!

(for those of you interested in the wedding gossip and photos, check out this Huffington Post article)

So, George Lucas' recent marriage made me wonder if or to what extent The Maker's personal life influenced his art. Some speculate that George Lucas' divorce from Marcia Lucas made him pessimistic about love and marriage, even to the point that love and marriage were the driving force behind Anakin's downfall. We do know that the divorce was a traumatic experience for him and it's not hard to imagine that George Lucas the artist drew upon the pain he felt in real life to breath more life into his characters. 

Star Wars Rebels - a new hope for politics in Star Wars?

Will we be seeing more of this guy?

OK, I'm late to the party on this one, but as you've probably heard Disney and Lucasfilm have announced a new animated Star Wars series called Rebels, based in the years before Episode IV. For fans craving their Star Wars fix, this could be a godsend. However, the series also has the potential to do some interesting things with the Rebellion as well.

The Prequels were notably for introducing moral ambiguity into Star Wars politics. We saw the Old Republic as a rotted political system riddled with corruption and unable to keep the peace. To paraphrase Padmé, many applauded the death of democracy.

Where will Poli-Sci Jedi go from here?

Poli-Sci Jedi is going to go on vacation for a few weeks as final papers start rolling in. However, I have some big ideas for content over the summer. In the meantime, if you have any thoughts on potential projects, let me know in the comments section.

Executive Order 9066

As I was grading papers, I came across a reference to Executive Order 9066 regarding the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II. Then I remembered that Michael Kaminski's Secret History of Star Wars speculated that this might be the origin of Lucas' "Order 66." It certainly seems plausible - or at least more plausible than my theory about Order 66 originating in the massacre of Indonesian communists.

Images of Power Part III: Radical or Conservative Imagery?

Is Anakin Skywalker evil?

Our "Images of Power" mini-series uses Professor Jeffrey A. Hart's "Images of Power in Hollywood Films: The Example of Star Wars" conference paper as a springboard for discussion about the imagery of power in the Star Wars movies. Hart identifies several strains of power-based imagery throughout the Star Wars saga, most of which focus on the conflict between good versus evil. Today, we conclude with: Part III: Radical or Conservative Imagery?

Images of Power Part II: Cold War/GWOT

That's no Death Star, it's a Cold War allegory

Our "Images of Power" mini-series uses Professor Jeffrey A. Hart's "Images of Power in Hollywood Films: The Example of Star Wars" conference paper as a springboard for discussion about the imagery of power in the Star Wars movies. Hart identifies several strains of power-based imagery throughout the Star Wars saga, most of which focus on the conflict between good versus evil. Today, we continue with: Part II: The Cold War/Global War on Terrorism.

Sci-Fi and Kickstarter

Veronica Mars can do it, can't Clone Wars?

Given the surprising success a few days ago of using Kickstarter to fund a new Veronica Mars movie to the tune of $10 million, some sci-fi fans have thought about starting Kickstarter campaigns for canceled shows like Firefly and now The Clone Wars. In an interview, Joss Whedon explains why Kickstarter might not be sufficient for big-budget sci-fi films and shows.

However, Kickstarter does raise another interesting question - one relevant for this blog. Could Kickstarter be used to make filmmakers financially and politically independent of Hollywood? As I discuss in my "Images of Power" series, Hollywood is often remarkably conservative when dealing with political stories (conservative in the traditional sense rather than meaning Republican).

The Prequel Trilogy was notable in that it seemed critical of democracy and presented a morally ambiguous political atmosphere. But most major movies refuse to venture far outside the boundaries of Mr. Smith Goes to Washington and West Wing - the idealistic to the cynical. In fact, one of the most prevalent criticisms of modern Hollywood is that it too often attempts to appeal to the least common denominator.

As Whedon said, Kickstarter probably won't be sufficient to fund big-budget sci-fi films anytime soon (although Veronica Mars' $2.5 million in 24 hours is not insignificant). However, for smaller, independent films, Kickstarter might help give filmmakers more creative freedom. There would might fewer concerns about offending the political sensibilities of portions of the audience.

What would that mean in practice? Who knows, but I'd enjoy finding out.

Sequel Speculation: Blast from the past

Not so secret if it's published in a book...

I've already speculated a bit about the role of political dilemmas in the upcoming Sequel Trilogy. In a new article, Michael Kaminski, author of the delightful The Secret History of Star Wars, takes a look at the evolution of George Lucas' thinking about the Sequel Trilogy since the mid-1970s. A few statements stick out for fans of politics.

First, in a 1980 interview, Lucas explicitly stated that the sequels would revolve around "the rebuilding of the Republic." This suggests that the trilogy would not only be set in the aftermath of Return of the Jedi, but also that the political struggle would take center stage. It's not clear if the story treatments Lucas wrote before the sale to Disney includes the rebuilding of the Republic as a focus. However, as EW has already noted, director JJ Abrams is not known for telling stories with a political bent. Moreover, the first of the Sequel Trilogy seems like it will take place 35-45 years after Return of the Jedi, which is probably too long after the Emperor's death for the galaxy to still be rebuilding. While nation-building is a long process, will the Galaxy Far, Far Away still be "rebuilding the Republic" after such a long time?

Images of Power Part I: The Empire (and Palpatine's wardrobe)

How the Emperor got his clothes...

Unfortunately, there isn't much scholarship about Star Wars by political scientists. Over the next couple of weeks, we'll engage with one of the brave few. Our "Images of Power" mini-series will use Professor Jeffrey A. Hart's "Images of Power in Hollywood Films: The Example of Star Wars" conference paper as a springboard for discussion about the imagery of power in the Star Wars movies. Hart identifies several strains of power-based imagery throughout the Star Wars saga, most of which focus on the conflict between good versus evil. Today, we begin with: Part I: The Empire (and Palpatine's wardrobe).

Episode Review: Clone Wars on trial

Republic v. Tano

The Clone Wars Season 5 finale, "The Wrong Jedi", is getting a lot of attention for forcing Ahsoka Tano to make a tough decision about her life. However, the episode is also notable as the first time we've seen a trial in a Star Wars story told by George Lucas himself.* It is a rare glimpse into the practice of law in a Galaxy Far, Far Away.

First, I think the most surprising aspect of the Star Wars judicial system is a clear division between Jedi and secular courts. In fact, we never really find what a Jedi trial would look like. Master Yoda only mentions that he'd prefer Ahsoka be judged according to "Jedi traditions", not "Jedi law". this would seem to suggest that the Jedi judge their own through a less formal, less legalistic process, such as arbitration or customary law.

Indonesia Part III: Was George Lucas inspired by Indonesia?

Indonesia - a source for Star Wars?

If I could ask George Lucas one question, I would ask if Indonesian history influenced the development of the Star Wars saga.

As part of the "Indonesia" series, I'll explore some of the striking similarities between modern Indonesian history and the Star Wars saga. In Part III: Did Indonesia influence Lucas?, I end by asking if it's possible that the similarities I discussed in previous posts are more than just coincidence.

Does Palpatine have to buy the clone troopers off?

Even clone troopers need a little recognition...

If you watched the latest Clone Wars episode, "The Jedi Who Knew Too Much," you can see Ahsoka climbing a statue of a clone trooper. This reminded me of memorials such as the "tomb of the unknown soldier", dedicated to the army at large rather than individuals.

However, one might think that the government wouldn't have to honor its clones, who are effectively property. The presence of the statue is an interesting indication that Palpatine's government feels it has to to at least put on a public display of honoring the clones.

The question is whether the statue is for the clones or for the public. Clones don't have families, so it's not like there are families demanding a public memorial. So, it seems like the statue is part of Palpatine's attempt to solidify the loyalty of the clones.

It's certainly an interesting time in the politics of the Republic!

Indonesia Part II: Order 66 and GESTAPU?

If I could ask George Lucas one question, I would ask if Indonesian history influenced the development of the Star Wars saga.

In part of the "Indonesia" series, I'll explore some of the striking similarities between modern Indonesian history and the Star Wars saga. In Part II: Order 66 and GESTAPU?, I continue by comparing the purge of the Jedi with the purge of Indonesian communists.

Using Google N-grams to evaluate Palpatine's many roles

Throughout the Star Wars saga, Palpatine has been a senator, chancellor, emperor, and Sith lord. So, we were curious - which one of his many political roles has gained him the most notoriety amongst Star Wars fans? Thanks the power of Google N-grams Viewer, we can observe how references to Palpatine have changed over time.

Of course, in the film version of Return of the Jedi, we only knew the character as the Emperor. As such, in books Palpatine was only referred to as "the Emperor" until the late 1980s. After Timothy Zahn's Heir to the Empire trilogy were published in the early 1990s, fans became more familiar with the Emperor's actual name and started to refer to him as Emperor Palpatine. 

Indonesia Part I: Palpatine or Suharto's New Order?

General Suharto - a model for Palpatine?

If I could ask George Lucas one question, I would ask if Indonesian history influenced the development of the Star Wars saga.

Over the next few weeks, I'll explore some of the striking similarities between modern Indonesian history and the Star Wars saga. In Part I: Palpatine or Suharto's New Order?, I begin by comparing the rise of the Empire with authoritarianism in Indonesia.

Repost: NYT columnist on the politics of Star Wars

In this 2011 New York Times article, columnist Ross Douthat points out the vast difference in political storytelling in the Original Trilogy and Prequel Trilogy. The OT emphasized romantic notions of political power, with the mystical Force users against the technological bureaucracy. By contrast, in the PT government was democratic, the Force given scientific underpinnings, and the Jedi in a more bureaucratic role. It's a fun comparison of politics in the two Star Wars trilogies by a leading political columnist. Enjoy...

Darth Maul as Emperor Commodus?

The last episode of the Clone Wars, "Shades of Reason", ended with a striking image of Darth Maul seated on the throne of Mandalore. Maul's posture was indolent and indulgent, a ruler assured of his position and enjoying it. Yet, like Luke Skywalker on Dagobah, something seemed vaguely "familiar" about the scene. Indeed, there is an eerie resemblance between Maul and Emperor Commodus from the movie Gladiator. While it's not clear if Dave Filoni and the Clone Wars crew intended to pay homage to Gladiator, the imagery reveals much about Maul as a political leader.

Repost: Eric Geller's take on Star Wars politics

Eric Geller shared with me an article that he wrote for the official Star Wars blog last Election Day. I thought I'd repost it here in case anybody didn't get to read it (maybe because you were too busy voting...). It's a great analysis of the path from democracy to despotism in that Galaxy Far, Far Away. Enjoy!

Facebook page!

As you can tell, I've spend a bit of time cleaning the site up and adding features. There's also a new Facebook page. So, if you want to get updates about politics in a Galaxy Far, Far Away on your Facebook account, "like" the Poli-Sci Jedi Facebook page!

J.J. Abrams to direct Episode VII - what does it mean for the story?

According to MTV, J.J. Abrams has been selected as the director for Star War Episode VII. What does this mean?

From a technical side, Abrams is a superb director. In both Star Trek and Super 8, he was able to craft tightly edited stories special effects bonanzas with compelling acting. In fact, I'd go so far as to say that, in terms of acting and special effects, Star Trek was the best of the 11 Star Trek films thus far. Super 8 had some incredible child actors, including Elle Fanning. It takes a skilled director to work all of these pieces into a coherent film.

Your source for the Force: RebelForce Radio

I'm just giving a shoutout to RebelForce Radio, the new home of the ForceCast. The podcast is co-produced and co-hosted by Jason and Jimmy Mac and they cover pretty much anything related to Star Wars. One of my favorite episodes from the ForceCast was their interview with Lord of the Rings actor Sean Astin (a.k.a. Sam Gamgee). Astin was interested in talking about the politics of the Galaxy Far, Far Away and, of course, we are too. Astin also mentioned Aung San Suu Kyi, officially combining my three favorite things (Star Wars, Tolkien, and Burma). Also, the RebelForce Radio Clone Wars roundtables are essential listening for Clone Wars fans. So definitely check them out!

Why I want a book about Jar Jar Binks (!!!)

Meesa gonna be presidente!

I might be the only Star Wars fan to admit this, but I would absolutely love a book or short story about Jar Jar Binks.

No, this isn't a joke. April 1st isn't here... yet.

In the Prequel Trilogy, Jar Jar had potential to serve as a unique commentary on the absurdity of politics. In interviews, the actor who played Binks, Ahmed Best, has claimed that the character was supposed to show how he started as a naive politician and ultimately became a victim of the system.* Think Mr. Smith goes to Washington... and is successfully manipulated by Senator Paine.

The Sith throughout history

I was recently rereading portions of Hannah Arendt's Eichmann in Jerusalem: A Report on the Banality of Evil, the classic account of the trial of Nazi SS-Obersturmbannführer Adolf Eichmann. One of the tragedies of the book - and indeed, all of Nazi Germany - is how such apparently civilized men could engage in such evil. While reading, I noticed a quote that should sound familiar to Star Wars fans:

"[I, Eichmann,] may have been wrong all down the line, but one thing is beyond dispute: the man [Hitler] was able to work his way up from lance corporal in the German Army to Führer of a people of almost eighty million. . . . His success alone proved to me that I should subordinate myself to this man."

Is Leia an action hero or a political hero?

Wow, I'm actually posting something new! I apologize that The Chancellor's Suite hasn't been very active, but such is life as a Ph.D. student (and unfortunately I'm not writing a dissertation about Star Wars).

However, I've recently become involved in a heated discussion over at the ClubJade.net comment section and upon further reflection I thought that it would make for a perfect post on The Chancellor's Suite. For those of you who haven't heard, this week Dark Horse released a new comic series simply titled "Star Wars" by Brian Wood. The series is an attempt to attract fans who love the Original Trilogy but don't necessarily follow the entire Star Wars Expanded Universe. The first issue takes place a few months after the events of A New Hope as Luke and Leia look for a site for a new Rebel base.

Name change - Welcome to Poli-Sci Jedi

I decided to rename and rebrand the site "The Poli-Sci Jedi". It's more appropriate, don't you think? The site's official mascot is K'Kruhk. Why - because at the end of the current Star Wars timeline, he is a member of the ruling triumvirate, and thus he IS a Poli-Sci Jedi. Enjoy!

Review of Scoundels

NOTE: This is my book review of the new book Scoundrels, originally posted on Amazon.com. I loved the book. One of the reasons I liked it is because we finally get to see Black Sun act like a mafia, as opposed to a bunch of street thugs. The book doesn't explicitly cover politics, but in the book Black Sun does use blackmail to coerce government officials. Anyways, I thought I'd repost the review here.

Obviously, Scoundrels was Timothy Zahn's attempt at combining an Ocean's 11 caper with the Star Wars saga. What I hadn't appreciated before reading the book was just how serious Zahn was about this. There have been several Star Wars books this year that try to break into the espionage/thriller genre, such as Annihilation: Star Wars (The Old Republic) and Mercy Kill: Star Wars (X-Wing), but at the end of the day they feel like rehashed Star Wars. By contrast, Scoundrels is something new. It takes the best of Star Wars with the best of the espionage/thriller genre to create something that really feels fresh.

Here are some of my initial thoughts. Note, I try to keep this review as spoiler free as possible, meaning that I try not to reveal anything critical beyond the first three chapters.

White House won't fund the Death Star

The White House (as in, the real, Earthbound White House where our president lives) responded to a petition asking the president to construct a Death Star. The petition was obviously a joke, but I thought the White House response was brilliant. It combines Star Wars humor with an appeal for greater investment in math and science. Here's the response in full: