Politics and Culture
The study of politics encompasses not just institutions and policies but also how we conceive of the subject, what influences us to think of political issues – and indeed of the world of politics as whole – in certain ways. These considerations means that we need to engage with culture.
The Fictional Representation of Politics
If it is indisputable that many look upon politics in negative terms – generally seeing their elected representatives as inherently untrustworthy – it is also plain that such attitudes are to some extent constructed through art. Steven Fielding is interested in comparing and contrasting fictional representations of politics in Britain and the USA, using examples taken from novels, film and television from the time of Anthony Trollope to that of The West Wing and The Thick of It. He is currently working on a book on how British politics has been depicted and in 2010 presented a documentary on Radio Four on the Dramatisation of New Labour.
Political Auto/Biography
Biographies and memoirs are one of the most popular means by which people read about politics. They are however problematic forms that can distort as much as they reveal. Mark Stuart (Douglas Hurd and John Smith) and Andrew Denham (Keith Joseph) have written biographies of major political figures. Steven Fielding is working on how British politicians past and present – from Disraeli to Blair - have been depicted in screen biopics. Alex Danchev also has an active interest in biography, having written a number, including on the philosopher-statesman Oliver Franks; and he is involved in leading an AHRC Network on the theme.
Rethinking Political History
The writing of modern British political history is currently undergoing a transformation, one which involves opening out to other disciplines and approaches - most obviously to those influenced by the need to properly locate political institutions within their cultural context. Steven Fielding has taken a leading role in outlining this ‘new political history’. Given Colin Hay’s recent description of a ‘post-disciplinary’ political science this is an especially interesting time to revisit some of the key moments in political history and challenge established narratives of the past that underpin contemporary political analysis.