Seth Masket, political scientist and professor at the University of Denver, sees something ominous in the background of the Star Wars Holiday Special. He wrote about the politics of the campy Star Wars program in Mischiefs of Faction, a blog for Vox. The piece is called Amusing Ourselves Into Tyranny, sound familiar?
Before the interview, Swara and Stephen react to news of Disney pulling out of their deal with Netflix and the promise of a Disney streaming service. Is this capitalism run amok or the best thing that’s ever happened? Join us for the discussion.
Follow Seth Masket on Twitter @Smotus
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Politics and Star Wars fuse together on this unique and fascinating show! Beltway Banthas is your place for insightful political commentary featuring the galaxy far, far, away. Beltway Banthas is a Star Wars podcast about the intersection of fandom and the things that drive daily life. For hosts Stephen Kent & Swara Salih, one of those things is politics. Star Wars draws from our world’s politics just as much as it contributes to it by influencing policymakers, journalists and thought leaders.
On the show, you’ll learn about the politics within the Star Wars universe, from Alderaan & Naboo’s monarchies to the function of the Senate on Coruscant. In between episodes we feature interviews with real world change-makers, and talk with them about how Star Wars impacted their lives and view of the world.
Stephen Kent lives outside of DC with his wife and daughter. He works at a political non-profit that does outreach to millennials. He enjoys political podcasts, cosplay, and making jokes that only he thinks are funny. Connect on Twitter @Stephen_Kent89.
Swara Salih is a true believer, in both The Force and the importance of politics. As an activist, writer and aspiring Jedi, Swara came to Beltway Banthas as a listener and is now with the show full time. He’s a Data Analyst working to get city governments to use data better. Connect with him on Twitter @SwaraSalih1.