The University of Texas at Arlington's Penelope Ingram has authored a new book that examines the roles that Hollywood and media played in the resurgence of white nationalism during the Obama and Trump eras.
Ingram, associate professor of English, is the author of "Imperiled Whiteness: How Hollywood and Media Make Race in 'Postracial' America," which analyzes popular film and television franchises through the lens of social, cultural and political movements.
Ingram explores how series like "The Walking Dead" and reboots of older franchises such as "Planet of the Apes" and "Star Trek" helped influence public perception of political and cultural flashpoints like the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, the Black Lives Matter movement and gun control. She says such programs offered seemingly progressive narratives, while at the same time consistently reproducing historically racist imagery.
"Themes in these programs frequently reflect ideas circulating in political discourse," she said. "Debates around these issues in Congress and in the news shape the kinds of stories that are produced in entertainment media, and they in turn shape the way audiences understand and respond to politics."
When Ingram began writing her book in 2017, she was motivated by showing how news, entertainment and social media were not separate spheres. She argues the themes and plotlines in entertainment are derived from social conflict, which is often racialized.
"My goal is to bring awareness to the way politics, entertainment and culture are intertwined," she said. "My more hopeful goal with this book is that people read it and become more conscious of the way they receive media messaging, particularly around issues to do with race, even in purportedly progressive entertainment programming."
