International Relations at

the Movies: Teaching and

Learning about International
Politics through Film
8310
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Abstract: For mainstream Political !cience& *+o+ular culture, is still not considered -orth. o/ serious
investigation0 !imilarl.& the idea o/ using movies as a +edagogical tool has remained at the
margins0 $evertheless& /ilm can be a valuable means o/ teaching universit. students about
+olitics and international +olitics in +articular0 This +a+er identi/ies /our distinct -a.s o/ using
movies as a teaching tool: the /irst a++roach uses /ilm to +ortra. historical events such as the
)old 1ar& and the second utili2es /ilm to debate s+eci/ic issues in international +olitics such as
terrorism or genocide0 The third a++roach e3amines movies as cultural nar-ratives 4 e0g0 anti5
#mericanism in Tur6e. 4& -hile the /ourth uses /ilm to e3+lain and criti5ci2e IR theories 7here& /or
e3am+le& Post5Modernism is discussed -ith the hel+ o/ the movie
Pulp Fiction80 The article e3amines the strengths and -ea6nesses o/ using /ilm in
the IR classroom in general and illustrates each o/ the /our a++roaches b. using
e3am+les /rom movies0
Key words: international relations& learning& theor.& /ilm& visual turn
I stand upon my desk to remind myself that we
must constantly look at things in a different way.
79ohn :eating in Dead Poets ociety8
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*Images, in International Relations 7IR8 have become increasingl. im+ortant0 Re5
gardless o/ -hether one believes in the da-n o/ a *+ictorial turn, 7Mitchell& 1==8 or an
*aesthetic turn, 7>lei6er& ?0018 in the /ield o/ IR& ver. /e- +eo+le -ould re/ute that our
6no-ledge about the -orld is +redominantl. sha+ed b. the +o-er/ul visual
re+resentations in ne-s+a+ers and television0 "ven the cinema has become& or
ma.be al-a.s has been& a +otent /orm o/ +olitical communication0 $onetheless& the
idea o/ using +o+ular art in the /orm o/ /ilms to e3+lain@understand and teach in5
ternational +olitics is still at the margins in IR0 This is sur+rising as the idea o/ using
Pers+ectives Aol0 1B& $o0 1
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/ilm in the classroom is b. no means ne- or uncommon 7Cane. ?000: ?3880 ;ne
o/ the /irst scholars to note the +ossibilities o/ /ilm in the teaching o/ +olitical sci5
ence -as 9ohn (0 Millett 71=B8 Dust a/ter the !econd 1orld 1ar0 >ut even this
earl.& Millet 71=B: E?F8 reali2ed that *GtHhere is little advantage in em+lo.ing a /ilm
sim+l. to +hotogra+h a classroom lecture,0 !o there is more to it than Dust +lugging
in the A)R or rather the (A( +la.er to /ill some o/ the time o/ the lesson and let
the /ilm do the teaching0 !ince the late 1=0s others have also noted the +otential
o/ the idea0 In the 1=B0s Patric6 ;,Meara claimed that *the use o/ the /ilm is not
onl. a challenging ne- direction -ithin +olitical science& but also one o/ vital /uture
rele5vance and +romise, 7;,Meara& 1=BF: ??080 #nd t-o .ears later& )harles
Funderbur6 71=B8: 1118 -rote that *GtHhe use o/ /eature5length motion +ictures in
the classroom is a teaching resource o/ considerable +otential /or +olitical
scientists,0 *)inematic IR, has become increasingl. +o+ular 7Colden& ?00F8 and it
is no- /irml. established that *+o+ular culture has much to o//er to our
contem+orar. understanding o/ in5ternational relations, 7(ebri3& ?00E: EE380 #s -e
-ill see& there are a number o/ scholars -ho have s+eciali2ed in the subDect& and
among these& there are some -ho /ocus s+eci/icall. on the o++ortunit. o/ using
+o+ular art in the teaching o/ inter5national +olitics0
The article -ill be structured as /ollo-s: The /irst t-o +arts -ill revie- the e3isting
literature on /ilm and IR and e3amine some o/ the advantages and disadvantages o/
using /ilm and movies as a method o/ teaching in general0 This -ill then be /ollo-ed b.
an overvie- o/ the di//erent -a.s o/ using /ilm0 #lthough the +ossibilities o/ using
movies as a +edagogical tool /or teaching universit. students are nearl. limitless& -e
have identi/ied /our maDor -a.s in -hich /ilms have been used in the +ast: the -a.s o/
events! issues! cultures and theories0 #lthough this 6ind o/ classi/ication is arti/icial and
there are obviousl. overla+s& -e believe that it can nevertheless be hel+/ul /or
teachers in /raming their o-n teaching obDectives0 #s -ill be made clear in the article&
the /our a++roaches di//er -ith regard to their understanding o/ +olit5ical science: The
/irst t-o a++roaches are re+resented b. scholars such as Robert %regg 71==88& L.nn
:u2ma and Patric6 Cane. 7?0018 and are in/luenced some-hat b. a more +ositivist
vie- o/ International Relations 7IR8& -hich believes that a real -orld e3ists -hich can
be investigated /rom the outside -ith *scienti/ic, means in order to establish an
unbiased and real truth0 The /irst a++roach /ocuses on the e35+lanations o/ certain
historical events such as the )old 1ar -hile the second a+5+roach e3amines s+eci/ic
issues o/ IR such as -ar& terrorism or genocide0 Follo-ing this& the article -ill
investigate t-o more +ost5+ositivist understandings o/ using movies to teach
international +olitics0 These a++roaches& e3em+li/ied b. scholars such as 9utta 1eldes
7?0038 and ).nthia 1eber 7?00E8& are based on the assum+5tion that inter5subDective&
not obDective& 6no-ledge is the dominant /orm o/ dis5course0 Cere& the +a+er brie/l.
outlines the +otential o/ /ilm /or the understanding
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o/ cultures and then /ocuses on IR theories b. using the /ilm Pulp Fiction as an e35
am+le -ith -hich to illustrate and critiIue +ost5modern a++roaches to IR0
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The use o/ movies does have some clear advantages& and students o/ IR do +oten5
tiall. bene/it /rom the use o/ /ilm in the IR classroom0 For e3am+le& it is -idel. ac5
ce+ted as scienti/ic 6no-ledge that the human memor. stores in/ormation in both a
visual and an oral /orm and that a combination o/ both cognitive ca+acities hel+s
+eo+le access& learn and then remember in/ormation 7)ham+ou3& 1===L
:u2ma@Cane.& ?001: 38: *!tudents retain 10M o/ -hat the. read& GbutH E0M o/ -hat
the. see and hear, 7!tice& 1=8B& cited in Po-ner and #llendoer/er& ?008: BB80 1e have
to acce+t the contem+orar. student,s a//init. /or visual stimulation: the. get their
in/ormation and ideas about the -orld in a visual /ashion through television and the
internet and have been sociali2ed through all sorts o/ visual channels0 It is there/ore
inevitable that the +erce+tions and in/ormation /rom /ilms enter the class5room -hether
-e li6e it or not 7Lee& 1==0: =F80 It seems that .oung +eo+le in gen5eral and students in
+articular have become inherentl. good at dealing -ith visual material0 It there/ore
ma6es sense to consider the use o/ such material in class in order to /acilitate the
teaching and learning o/ international +olitics0
For Robert %regg 71===: 1?=8 movies and /ilms hel+ students learn and
enhance their 6no-ledge about international +olitics as the. constitute a *-indo-
on the -orld,0 !ho-ing a movie in class +rovides a common re/erence +oint to
-hich all +artici+ants can re/er in order to ma6e their arguments& +oints and vie-s
clear /or the other members o/ the class 7!achleben@Nenerall& ?00?80 #/ter seeing
the movie& it can act as a 6ind o/ em+irical case stud. as ever.one in the class is
then /amiliar -ith it& and thus it can +rovide the *hoo6, -ith -hich to o+en a class
discussion 71aal6es& ?003: 1EF80
#t the same time /ilms can ma6e challenging abstract conce+ts& ideas and theo5ries
such as deterrence& terrorism or neo5liberalism more concrete& thereb. ma6ing
students *see, and understand the issues involved 7Lovell& 1==8L ;,Meara& 1=BF: ?1=80
!tudents get an insight into issues -hich the. have little e3+erience o/ and -ould
other-ise not encounter in their normal li/e 71aal6es& ?003: 1F=41B080 "vents seem
more *real, and relevant in movies as the. can sho- events and issues more vividl.
than the +rinted -ord 7Cane.& ?000: ?0L :u2ma@Cane.& ?001: 3E80 The. dramati2e an
event or idea b. bringing a human /ace to even the seemingl. most mundane issues in
international +olitics 7Cartlaub& ?001: 31L %iglio& ?00?80 # movie can lead to a
+ersonal identi/ication -ith a +olitical actor and hel+ students to ste+ into their shoes0
Thereb. the. are led to em+athi2e& consider the sco+e o/ ma5noeuvre the actors
involved ma. have and re/lect on the choices as -ell as on the
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normative and ethical im+lications at sta6e in com+le3 circumstances 7%regg&
1==8: EL 1aal6er& ?003: 1EB80
This +ersonali2ation& this dramati2ation and this 6ind o/ visual con/rontation
-ith +olitical and sometimes violent issues and theories dealing -ith -ar and
+eace in5evitabl. create a certain level o/ emotion among students 7)racium&
?0080 For one& these emotions lead to a higher level o/ attention and some
have argued that emo5tions have a large in/luence on students, learning abilit.
as the. hel+ im+rint in/or5mation in their memor. 7:u2ma@Cane.& ?001: 3E80
These emotions evo6e enthusiasm& encourage class +artici+ation and&
-ithout doubts& have the +otential to +rovide the means /or animated class
debates and discussions 7Funderbur6& 1=B8: 111L Leib& ?000: 180
#s students are /amiliar -ith movies and are used to tal6ing o+enl. about
/ilms& movies can also -or6 as a *levelling device, bet-een the teacher and
the students 7)handler@#dams& 1==B: 1?80 The. seemingl. readDust the +o-er
structures and re5duce the stringent hierarch. -hich can im+ede class
discussion and +rivilege the learning over the teaching com+onent0 The
+ositive e//ect o/ /amiliarit. -ith movies is /urther underlined b. the use o/
science /iction movies as meta+hors /or +olitical events& issues or theories0 In
contrast to clearl. +olitical /ilms -here students ma. be more reserved about
their comments& students seem to be more com/ortable in +artici+ating in a
discussion and h.+othesi2ing about the meaning o/ a meta+hori5cal movie as
there is no right or -rong inter+retation 7)oo+er& ?00?L 1ebber& ?00E: 38180
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In contrast to the advantages and bene/its mentioned above& there are also a num5ber
o/ di//iculties and obDections to using /ilms in the classroom -hich need to be
discussed and ta6en into consideration0 Firstl.& there are technical and logistical is5
sues -hich need to be ta6en into consideration -hen +lanning such a course0 For
e3am+le& the seminar room has to be suitable /or sho-ing movies and all the nec5
essar. technical eIui+ment 7(A( +la.er& +roDector& louds+ea6ers& etc08 has to be ar5
ranged and -or6ing be/ore things can get on the -a.0 #lthough this ma. sound
obvious& these as+ects are easil. underestimated as -e /ound out& /or e3am+le& that
some co+. +rotection so/t-are on older (A(s +revented them /rom being +la.ed via a
la+to+0 ;ne should also be a-are o/ co+.right as+ects and the legal Iuestions o/
+rivate@+ublic +er/ormance -hich ma. arise through sho-ing the movie in class0
#+art /rom these technical and administrative di//iculties& there are a number o/
other 7more /undamental8 Iuestions -hich arise -hen considering the use o/
movies in the IR classroom0 For e3am+le there is the *trade5o// bet-een the time
s+ent -atching a /ilm and the instructor,s abilit. to cover the course content,
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7:u2ma@Cane.& ?001: F80 Teachers have to decide -hether it is -orth it to sho-
the -hole /ilm in class& -hether to ma6e students -atch the /ilm outside o/ class
or -hether to sim+l. sho- short cli+s or scenes to highlight certain events& issues
or theories 7!achleben@Nanerall& ?00?: 380 ;n the one hand one could argue that
there is +robabl. a lot o/ irrelevant material in a -hole movie -hich does not hel+
in the understanding o/ the event& issue or theor. and there/ore -astes valuable
discussion time 7;,Meara& 1=BF: ?1E80 ;n the other hand& ho-ever& b. onl.
sho-ing certain cli+s& the instructor is e3+licitl. +re5selecting certain issues and is
there/ore reducing the amount o/ critical thin6ing the students have to do to
identi/. as+ects that the. consider to be o/ im+ortance0
;n the student level& movies can have t-o negative e//ects -hich both
re+resent the e3tremes o/ the s+ectrum0 ;n the one side the. ma. become little
more than +assive& merel. consuming observers& as students are used to seeing
movies and /ilms as entertainment and as a -a. to rela3 /rom the stresses o/
universit. li/e 7;,Meara& 1=BF: ?1=L 1aal6es& ?003: 1E880 ;n the other hand
students can become too emotionall. involved -ith the to+ic o/ the /ilm0 !ome
authors have +ointed out that e3treme emotions such as /ear and anger can
reduce the vie-ers, attention and hinder the learning +rocess& as the. +revent
critical and thought/ul re/lections on the subDect 7Cane.& ?000: ?180 #s #llen
71==88 +oints out in this res+ect& it is im5+ossible to guess -hat students have
been through in their li/e and the emotional baggage the. bring to class0 It thus
might be use/ul to discuss certain as+ects o/ the /ilm -ith the students in advance
or +re+are -ith them a common list o/ guiding Iuestions or issues -hich -ould
hel+ them to /ocus on the original research inter5est -hile -atching0
;ne o/ the main arguments against using movies in the IR classroom is that the.
are sim+l. not made /or teaching IR0 1ith res+ect to IR theor. %regg 71==8: 108 ar5
gues that movies do not e3+licitl. cham+ion a certain theor.0 #t the same time cer5tain
theoretical com+onents are /ound more o/ten than others0 For e3am+le& *realist,
assum+tions have been ver. dominant in movies about international +olitics0 !imi5larl.&
movies generall. onl. deal -ith certain things -hile the. almost totall. neglect other
ver. im+ortant issues o/ international +olitics 7%regg& 1===80 *)on/lict sells,: movies
+redominantl. /ocus on e3citing things such as -ar or a violent crisis rather than on
international economics& international la- or international organi2ations de5s+ite their
vital im+ortance /or international +olitics0 "ven -hen /ocusing on one +o5litical issue
such as -ar& genocide or terrorism& movies are mainl. about death& destruction&
heroism and +h.sical and +s.chological anguish0 The. do not tend to e3+lore the
causes o/ the con/lict or the conseIuence /or international +olitics0 *The result is a
+icture o/ the +u22le o/ international relations /rom -hich im+ortant +ieces are missing
or seriousl. underre+resented, 7%regg& 1==8: =80 Movies there/ore have to be selected
care/ull. and +re+ared in accordance -ith the course obDectives0
Pers+ectives Aol0 1B& $o0 1
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# number o/ scholars have argued that man. movies are not reall. suited to teach
students about international +olitical events as the. oversim+li/. and revise histor. and
thereb. give a distorted vie- o/ international +olitics 7c/0 %regg& 1===: 1?=80 Cistorical
/igures and events are reinvented to /it the +lot o/ the movie and *GmHore o/ten than not
Coll.-ood gets it all -rong0 !tudents need to be reminded that the movie industr. is in
the entertainment business and not in the business o/ manu5/acturing historical
documents, 7%iglio& ?00?80 #s /ilms rarel. last longer than t-o and a hal/ hours& the.
have to condense histor.& the. heighten the drama& and the. +ortra. individual
characters as being re+resentative o/ a -hole categor. o/ +eo5+le0 "ver. /ilm is a
necessar. sim+li/ication and condensation o/ events no matter ho- com+le3 and
intricate the stor.line ma. be 7>erenson& 1==F: E180
#ccordingl. movies are inherentl. biased and al-a.s e3+ress a clear and distinct
vie-+oint no matter ho- value5/ree the. +resent themselves to be 7;,Meara& 1=BF:
?1F80 #+art /rom a +ersonal& ma.be aesthetic& bias& there is also a certain more gen5
eral 1estern or "urocentric bias as most movies used in IR classes are li6el. to have
been +roduced for the "uro+ean or #merican mar6et as -ell as "y 1estern /ilm stu5
dios in Coll.-ood& >erlin or London 7%regg& 1==8: B80 #s -ill be seen in the /ol5lo-ing
+arts o/ the article& other authors& ho-ever& believe that subDectivism is not so much a
+roblem but a bene/it0 For e3am+le& Lee 71==0: 108 argues that *GiHn some cases&
even de/ects can become +ositive resources /or teaching,0 #s -e -ill sho- in sections
three and /our& o+enl. Iuestioning and criticall. anal.sing the bac65ground behind a
certain +ers+ective or narrative 7here: culture or theory8 is an im5+ortant thing /or
students to learn0 There/ore& highlighting certain *inaccuracies, or biases can lead
students to criticall. Iuestion the issues raised in the /ilm and e35amine the
/undamental and o/ten im+licit +o-er structures o/ the movie as -ell as those in
international +olitics0
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There are /our distinct -a.s o/ utili2ing /ilm in the International Relations
classroom0 #ll o/ them are interconnected and most /ilms can be used as
e3am+les to illustrate certain +oints in all /our a++roaches0 This section -ill
illustrate three o/ the /our a+5+roaches and concentrate on illustrating ho- /ilms
can be used in the classroom to teach events in international +olitics& issues o/
im+ortance in international relations and cultural identities and narratives0
The /irst a++roach& -hich /ocuses on events& re+resents a more traditional -a. o/
utili2ing /ilm in class0 Cere the /ilm or movie is sim+l. used to give students in/or5
mation on a s+eci/ic event or historical +eriod and the movie ta6es over the role o/
+roviding a 6ind o/ lecture0 The a++roach is usuall. not suitable /or teaching a -hole
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course but is commonl. used at all levels as a device /or su++lementing the
normal seminar readings0 Most o/ the time this includes documentaries on
historical time +e5riods -hich sha+ed -orld +olitics such as the /amous and
#cadem. #-ard -inning documentar. Fog of #ar on the events o/ the )old 1ar
and $earts and %inds& #in-ter oldier! or ir& 'o ir& /or the Aietnam 1ar0
# little bit more adventurous and there/ore /acing the threat o/ being called un5
scienti/ic is the use o/ +o+ular movies rather than documentaries0 !uch 7+artiall.8 in5
vented stories ma. have the advantage o/ automaticall. avoiding the sus+icion o/
being identi/ied as im+artial& correct& or obDective 7hi8stories0 $onetheless& ;liver
!tone,s a-ard5-inning movie (F) 7on the assassination o/ President 9ohn F0 :enned.
in (allas8 is a +rominent e3am+le o/ a highl. acclaimed movie +ersuasivel. narrat5ing
a *correct histor.,0 Net& +roviding the audience -ith high Iualit.& accurate his5torical
in/ormation is not the +rimar. aim o/ such /ilms0 #s +o+ular /ilms are made /or
entertainment and /inancial success at the bo3 o//ice& the choice and availabilit. o/
themes and histories in the events a++roach that can be discussed in class are
some-hat limited as -ars and con/licts dominate much o/ the historical /ilmma6ing
7%iglio& ?00EL %ianos& 1==8L Pollard& ?00?80 In this conte3t& it becomes Iuite obvi5ous
that movies also serve +olitical +ur+oses and either re/lect a dominant national
inter+retation o/ an event or are used b. the +olitical elites to create a certain nar5rative
o/ an event 4 in both -a.s& the instructor has to be a-are o/ the /act that the events
a++roach has a heav. subDectivist bias0 For e3am+le& des+ite their aesthetic Iualit.&
the Aietnam movies *pocalypse 'ow& Platoon! and Full %etal (acket are b. their ver.
nature +artial and over5e3aggerated0 In order to +er/orm a use/ul /unc5tion& -e hence
argue that event movies -or6 best i/ the. are embedded -ithin an anal.tical or
theoretical /rame-or60 For e3am+le& one could use Roger (onaldson,s /ilm +hirteen
Days to introduce students to the historical circumstances o/ the )uban Missiles
)rises in 1=F?& the height o/ the )old 1ar0 The movie is& ho-ever& solel. a <!
narrative o/ that event 4 the !oviet +ers+ective is totall. absent and +er/orms the
/unction o/ the *;ther,0 In order to esca+e the *subDectivit. tra+, o/ the events a+5
+roach& a more /ruit/ul -a. o/ turning the movie into a valuable contribution to be used
in the classroom is to embed it -ithin an anal.tical /rame-or6& e0 g0 deterrence theor.
and %raham T0 #llison,s and Phili+ (0 Oeli6o-,s 71===8 ground5brea6ing anal5.sis *The
"ssence o/ (ecision,& in order to gras+ the su+er+o-er5logic o/ the )old 1ar0 In
addition to documentaries and movies& one might even turn to /ictions& -hich& o/
course& never have the intention to serve *visual histor. telling,& but -hich nonetheless
do so0 # rather e3otic e3am+le -hich nicel. adds to +hirteen Days or +he Fog of #ar
is tar +rek ,I 7c/0 1eldes& 1===8& a science /iction movie about the Iron )urtain
coming do-n in outer s+ace in the ?3
rd
centur.0 The 1==1 movie also lends itsel/ to a
social5constructivist /rame-or6 o/ anal.sis b. investigating the 7de58con5struction o/
enem. images 7c/0 1eller& 1==?L Fiebig5von Case@Lehm6uhl& 1==B80
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;bviousl. there is a clear overla+ bet-een e3amining historical events and
anal.sing issues o/ im+ortance /or international relations0 #s (an Lindle. 7?001: FF38
+oints out& he not onl. uses the /ilm classic Dr. trangelove or- $ow I .earned to top
#orrying and .ove the /om" to teach about the histor. o/ the )old 1ar but he also
uses it *as a s+ringboard to discuss deterrence& mutuall. assured destruc5tion& +re5
em+tion& the securit. dilemma& arms races& relative versus absolute gains concerns&
)old 1ar mis+erce+tions and +aranoia& and civil5militar. relations, and +laces these in
their historical conte3t in the +rocess0 There are a number o/ schol5ars -ho /ollo- this
model and choose */ilms -hich dealt -ith ver. s+eci/ic +olitical themes, 7!anche2&
1=BF: =8 to teach international +olitics courses0 !ome& such as Robert %regg 71==8&
1===8& /ocus on issues in *International Relations, -hile oth5ers& such as :u2ma and
Cane. 7?0018& Cane. 7?0008 or %erner 71=8858=8& e3am5ine issues in *Foreign Polic.,0
Cere %regg 71==88 /ocuses on issues such as sovereignt.L nationalismL civil stri/eL
subversionL decision5ma6ingL -arL economic in5terde+endence and develo+mentL
ethics and international la-L the clash o/ cultures and the domestic roots o/ IR0 In
contrast :u2ma and Cane. 7?0018 /ocus on Mc5)arth.ismL deterrenceL the >erlin 1allL
%lasnostL )overt ;+erationsL +residential and congressional +o-ers in /oreign +olic.L
and !tate (e+artment and Foreign !er5vice ;//icers& as -ell as the 1ar Po-ers #ct0
There is a vast number o/ di//erent issues -hich +la. an im+ortant role in movies and
at the same time are im+ortant issues in international +olitics0 For e3am+le& the to+ics
o/ genocide and /orced dis+lacement could be illustrated -ith the hel+ o/ $otel
Rwanda! tar +rek I0 or +he )illing Fields. !ome /ilms even e3em+li/. t-o or more
to+5ics& e0 g0 /lood Diamond& -hich is suitable /or the discussion o/ ne- -ars& the role
o/ +rivate militar. com+anies& and the e//ectiveness o/ ne- /orms o/ governance such
as the *:imberle. Process, to control the e3+ort o/ con/lict diamonds0 ;ne issue o/ in5
ternational +olitics that has so /ar been neglected but seems +redestined to be the
subDect o/ IR /ilm classes is terrorism 7>loggs@Pollard& ?00F80 ;ne o/ the ver. /irst
movies to deal -ith the to+ic o/ terrorism -as #l/red Citchcoc6,s /ilm a"otage in 1=3F&
-hich -as the /ilm version o/ 9ose+h )onrad,s 1=0B boo6 +he ecret *gent 7(avies&
?00380 In a /airl. earl. te3t on the to+ic& 1alter LaIueur 71=8B8& one o/ the lead5ing
terrorism e3+erts& e3amined the +otential o/ gaining insight /rom /ilms on terrorism0 Ce&
ho-ever& -as sce+tical about the genre& believing that it had little /uture in the /ilm
industr.& and more recentl.& others have also Iuestioned the use o/ movies in teaching
about terrorism 7Miller& ?00F80 $evertheless& -e believe that there is a vast number o/
other /ilms -hich could be used to highlight and re/lect u+on some o/ the issues
surrounding terrorism 7c/0 !locum& ?00EL FrPhlich et al0& ?008L !+encer& ?00880
In sum& the main +roblem -ith regard to the events and issues a++roaches is that
students o/ten ta6e documentaries as *correct histories,& i0e0 as the narrative o/ a +ar5
=0 Pers+ectives Aol0 1B& $o0 1 ?00=
I$T"R$#TI;$#L R"L#TI;$! #T TC" M;AI"!
ticular event 7obDectivism8 rather than as one individual vie-+oint or
+ers+ective among others0 >ut no matter ho- *+er/ectl., a documentar. is
directed or ho- ac5claimed it is b. /ilm critics& the national /ilm academ. or the
scienti/ic communit.& all documentaries are inherentl. subDective0 Moreover&
the. 7necessaril.8 oversim+li/. and condense histor. 7c/0 >erenson& 1==F:
E180 >. their ver. nature& documentaries are considered ver. +ersuasive as
the. success/ull. create the illusion o/ an *un/il5tered GJH access to realit.,
7Trinh& 1==1& cited in: (en2in& ?000: 1080 In addition& students o/ten /all into a
*consumer tra+, and dis+la. a tendenc. to sim+l. -atch the movie and thereb.
lose their abilit. to maintain a critical distance /rom -hat the. *see,0
The third a++roach to using /ilm in the classroom is concerned -ith movies as a
cultural narrative o/ the *sel/,0 #uthors such as %regg 71==88 and :u2ma and Cane.
7?0018 7mentioned above8 assumed that /ilms re/lect real events and +rovide a more or
less obDective visual re+resentation o/ the -orld *out there,0 Movies -ere under5stood
as a sim+le and eas. o++ortunit. to gain access to the *realit., o/ 7hi8stories and to+ics
o/ -orld +olitics0 Co-ever& some argue that there is no such thing as an *un+roblematic
-indo- on the -orld, 7Colden& ?00F: 80B80 Post5!tructuralists state that there is no
direct observation o/ realit.& obDective re/lection o/ histor.& or sole *correct, account o/
an event0 The -orld o/ +olitics and +olitical science and the -orld o/ /ilm ma6ing and
+o+ular culture do not e3ist inde+endentl. o/ each other
4 not even /iction is outside o/ the cultural& social& or +olitical s+heres o/ re+roduc5tion
71eldes& 1===& ?001L (ebri3& ?00E: EE380 For e3am+le& a director -ill al-a.s be
in/luenced b. his@her ideological& national or ethnic bac6ground as -ell as b. his@her
gender& class or /amil. 7(en2in& ?000: 1B80 The *real, is there/ore al-a.s inter5te35tual&
an image o/ the -orld among man. other images that claim to adeIuatel. re+5resent
the -orld0 Movies are neither obDective nor culturall. neutral te3ts& but sociall.
constructed transcri+ts o/ *realit.,: inherentl. subDective& eIuall. valid& and& most o/ all&
culturall. bound stories0 The *second hand model o/ realit., conseIuentl. re5gards
/ilms as visual re+resentations o/ various *sel/s, rather than as searches /or the one or
the true stor.0 1ithin such a /rame-or6& the subDectivit. inherited in movies is not a
*mista6e,& but a crucial advantage that allo-s us to develo+ an *e+istemol5og. o/
+ers+ectives, 7(en2in& ?000: ??80 In being a-are o/ their inter5te3tual bias& one can
loo6 at movies as an im+ortant tool /or understanding +articular cultural nar5ratives o/
events or to+ics: the mutual constitution o/ the aesthetic and international +olitics 7c/0
Colden& ?00F: 801& 80B80 Cere& +o+ular culture is the +roduct and the cause o/
international +olitics0 In order to ta6e into account this *bias,& one has to ac5ce+t that all
movies are conte3t5bound and /iltered b. the director,s lens& the histor5ical conte3t& and
budget restrictions& as -ell as b. the e3+ectations and inter+retations o/ the audience0
The critical vie- allo-s /or the understanding o/ /ilms as s+eci/ic& individual versions o/
truth 4 a /ilm is a visual re+resentation o/ a re5
Pers+ectives Aol0 1B& $o0 1
?00= =1
!T"F#$ "$%"RT& #L"'#$("R !P"$)"R
alit. in -hich the images +rovide meaning to a +articular historical vie-0 !ee& /or
e3am+le& ).nthia 1eber,s 7?00F8 anal.sis o/ the construction o/ #merican identit. and
<! /oreign +olic. re/lected in +o+ular /ilm culture a/ter =@110 The main +roblem o/ this
third a++roach is one o/ cultural re+resentativeness0 I/ -e can gain access to diverse
cultural narratives via a su++lementar. reading o/ these images& i0e0 b. biased but
nonetheless valuable insiders, vie-s o/ histor.& ho- do -e 6no- that the indi5vidual
+ers+ective +rovides us -ith a better understanding o/ collective conce+ts such as
cultures& times& or +eo+lesQ In short& ho- can -e +rotect ourselves /rom anal.sing
com+letel. e3treme& absurd or *invalid, storiesQ Is there a criterion /or un5truthQ ;/
course& the radical constructivist ans-er is *1e cannot and -e need notK, #lread.
+osing such Iuestions is -rongL this creates arti/icial categories through -hich -e
7seemingl.8 se+arate the valid /rom the non5valid& truth /rom non5truth& or science /rom
non5science0 It is e3actl. the belie/ in the +rinci+led eIualit. o/ truths and the bene/it o/
*the margins, -hich -ill tell us much more about histories and the +o-er5relations
-ritten into narratives than the mainstream or the broader /ocus0 Co-ever& there is
also a more moderate& slightl. +ositivist5li6e +ossible ans-er: Ta65ing into account the
reaction o/ the audience -ill hel+ us to better understand the social5cultural conte3t0
Most /ilms touch +eo+le emotionall. as the. re/lect cultural values and historical
meanings& i0e0 a +articular image o/ truth 7c/0 (en2in& ?000: ?F80 Cence& the more a
/ilm hits an audience,s nerve& the greater its success at the bo35o//ice -ill be0 #nd the
more success/ul a /ilm is 7measured in bo3 o//ice ta65ings8& the higher the +robabilit.
that it is a re+resentative 7rather than a marginal8 nar5rative o/ the identit. or values o/
a +articular countr.0
# good e3am+le o/ a /ilm -hich illustrates an interesting and ver. +articular cul5tural
narrative is ,alley of the #olves- Ira1 7herea/ter A1I8 2 -ith three million vie-ers in its
/irst t-o -ee6s& Tur6e.,s most success/ul movie +roduction o/ all times0 The ?00F /ilm
about the <! intervention in IraI in ?003 +ortra.s the <! as an evil countr. as -ell as
the 3ther o/ the Tur6ish nation0
1
#s 1ashington and #n6ara have been strategic allies
/or over E0 .ears 7Redmond@Pace& 1==F: 388& the success/ul domestic rece+tion o/
the 3ther image is +u22ling0 1hilst an. pos-itivist -ould critici2e that A1I is 4 a+art
/rom the lin6ages to the #bu %reibh +rison scandal 4 not an obDective movie about the
*real, criminals in IraI 7the dictatorial /aath regime o/ !addam Cussein8 but tells an
imagined and hence */alse, stor. b. +ortra.ing the <! soldiers as the bad gu.s 7as
conceited criminals lusting /or +o-er8& the post-positivist -ould +oint out that e3actl.
such inter5subDective or seemingl. *absurd, vie-s tell us valuable *truths, about Tur6e.,s
inter+retation o/ the +ost5=@11 events0 A1I hence hel+s us to understand the
contem+orar. Tur65ish mind5set0 The negative image o/ the <! goes hand in hand -ith
-hat the ma5Dorit. o/ the Tur6ish +eo+le +erceive as an *arrogant, unilateral +olic. o/
the <! that ignored #n6ara,s regional sensitivities and /eelings o/ securit. in ?0030
Together
=? Pers+ectives Aol0 1B& $o0 1 ?00=
I$T"R$#TI;$#L R"L#TI;$! #T TC" M;AI"!
-ith other e3am+les /rom Tur6e.,s +o+ular literature 7<Rar@Turna& ?008& the /ilm
suggests that the anti5#merican 4eitgeist +ortra.ed in the movie is not an absurd
or marginal inter+retation but that it re/lects a dominant reading o/ the <! image in
Tur6e.0 Thus! popular culture 7here movies8 can indeed be a valuable tool /or stu5
dents and researchers /or understanding the role o/ +olitical narratives in interna5
tional +olitics and changes in political cultures0 The /ilm -as -ell received also
among the Tur6ish +olitical elite0 For e3am+le& >Slent #rinc& the President o/ the
Tur6ish $ational #ssembl.& +raised it -ith the -ords *In a -ord& it is great0 It /ol5
lo-s the historical /acts to the letter,0
?
There/ore& one might also anal.se -hether
the constructions in +o+ular discourse constitute *realities, and eventuall. a//ect
Tur6ish /oreign +olic. +re/erences to-ards the <! in *real, li/e 7c/0 :at2en5
stein@:eohane& ?00B: ?BF80
1ithin this third a++roach movies could be used to com+are cultural narratives
and dis+la. changes over time0 For e3am+le& the change o/ the <! +ers+ective on
the use o/ torture be/ore and a/ter =@11 is dis+la.ed in "d-ard O-ic6,s 1==8 movie
+he iege 7c/0 1il6ins@(o-ing ?00?8& -hich clearl. condemns torture& and the
highl. +o+ular <! television series 56& /ocusing on a /ictional counter5terrorist
unit o/ the <! government& -hich has /uelled a domestic debate on -hether
torture is not a le5gitimate means to +revent terrorist attac6s 7"ric6son& ?00880
Moreover& the sole e35am+le o/ one event 7here the 1orld 1ar II battle over the
9a+anese island I-o 9ima8 being com+lementaril. +ortra.ed /rom t-o vie-+oints
in +o+ular /ilms is that o/ )lint "ast-ood,s movies Flags of our Fathers 7the <!
+ers+ective8 and .etters from Iwo (ima 7the 9a+anese angle80
T"#)CI$% IR TC";RN 1ITC TC" C"LP ;F
M;AI"!
The +receding +arts o/ this article have e3amined the +ossibilities o/ using /ilms to
teach certain events! issues! or cultures in IR0 In this section -e -ant to outline a
/ourth a++roach and e3amine the +otential o/ using movies to teach IR theories0
This a++roach has been introduced b. ).nthia 1eber 7?001& ?00E8& -ho
connects the illustrative as+ect o/ movies -ith a critical +ers+ective0 ;thers have
/ollo-ed this in5terest in combining +o+ular culture -ith IR theories0 For e3am+le&
Culsman and Mitchell 7?00=8 use the movie +he 7odfather to illustrate di//erent
#merican /oreign +olic. +ers+ectives& and Ruane and 9ames 7?0088 use .ord of
the Rings to rela. the theoretical debates in IR0 (ue to a lac6 o/ s+ace& -e have
decided to /ollo- ).nthia 1eber,s a++roach and concentrate in the /ollo-ing on
one theor. +er /ilm& in our case +ost5modernist theor. and Pulp Fiction& rather
than a++l.ing a range o/ theo5ries to the same movie0
1eber e3amines *ho- IR theories a++ear to be true, 71eber& ?001: ?818 and
anal.ses ho- the /ilm and the theor. ma6e sense o/ the -orld and -hat the. both
Pers+ectives Aol0 1B& $o0 1
?00= =3
!T"F#$ "$%"RT& #L"'#$("R !P"$)"R
+ortra. as normal or deviant in their -orlds0 #lthough movies -ere never intended
as IR theor. teaching tools& the. generall. 7e3+licitl. or im+licitl.8 ma6e use o/ the
same meta5theoretical assum+tions about the -orld and the nature o/ the actors
in it as IR theories0 Films +ortra. a certain inter+retation o/ ho- the -orld -or6s
4 /or e3am+le& the. /ollo- a logic o/ conseIuentialit.& a logic o/ a++ro+riateness or
both 7c/0 Risse& ?000L March@;lsen& 1=8=& 1==880 ;ne o/ the main strengths o/
such an a++roach is that students are */orced, to a++l. the theories to a much less
sel/5evident obDect o/ stud.0 Theories are scienti/ic constructs& and as such the.
can be much better understood and their e3+lanator. strengths and -ea6nesses
can be much better uncovered i/ the. are a++lied to a -orld -hich is as obviousl.
arti/iciall. constructed as the theor. itsel/& such as the -orld -e encounter in a
movie0 To attain a better gras+ o/ the theories, main assum+tions and to become
able to criticall. evaluate their ontological or e+istemological under+innings& it is
hel+/ul to re5direct the centre o/ attention a-a. /rom the *usual sus+ects, 7em+ir5
ical +olitics and +olicies8 to a rather un/amiliar setting 7the -orld o/ /iction80 This
could lead to a dee+er understanding o/ and more critical thin6ing about the the5
ories, +otential and limits0 In our vie-& a good starting +oint is to identi/. in ad5
vance the res+ective theor.,s main assum+tions in order to hel+ students /ocus on
the selection o/ scenes -hich dis+la. the diverse *bits and +ieces, o/ the theoret5
ical a++roach0
"'#MPL": P<LP FI)TI;$ #$( P;!T5M;("R$ IR
TC";RI"!
Identi/.ing the core elements o/ Post5Modern IR theories 7c/0 )am+bell& ?00B:
??E8 is an intricate tas6& in +articular as this school o/ thought b. de/inition
Iuestions the usage and use/ulness o/ labels0 1e -ill start -ith describing
ver. brie/l. -hat -e consider some o/ the main ideas o/ +ost5modern thought
in IR be/ore discussing some o/ its elements in greater detail -ith e3am+les
ta6en /rom the movie Pulp Fic-tion0
Post5modern 7or +ost5structuralist8 theories give language a central role0 The -orld
is understood as a discursive 7social8 construction& -hich acIuires meaning onl.
through e3change o/ s+eech acts: The agents 7as -ell as the +olitical scientists8 are an
indivisible +art o/ the discursive conte3t and at the same time 7re58+roduce these
structures linguisticall.0 Realit. hence cannot e3ist outside discourse and must be un5
derstood */rom -ithin, 7Collis@!mith& 1==1: B?8L its anal.sis al-a.s reIuires an ab5
straction or inter+retation 7)am+bell& ?00B: ?080 >eing a-are o/ the mani/old
inter+retations o/ realit.& +ost5modern theories subscribe to the idea o/ multiple truths
7c/0 Foucault& ?00? G1=F=H80 This -orldvie- contrasts shar+l. -ith that o/ the +ositivist
mainstream& -here truth is vie-ed as an *obDective, /act0 >. contrast& +ost5modern
theories believe that truth is inherentl. subDective 7given its inter+retative na5
= Pers+ectives Aol0 1B& $o0 1 ?00=
I$T"R$#TI;$#L R"L#TI;$! #T TC" M;AI"!
ture8 or inter-te8tual 7de+endent on a +articular discourse80 Thus& the. are convinced
that a /inal version o/ truth 4 a so5called master-narrative 7c/0 L.otard& 1=88 4 can5not
and should not e3ist0 Co-ever& this does not mean that +ost5modern theor. is totall.
indi//erent to truth or that it has an arbitrar. attitude to-ards science0 Rather& it is
a-are that knowledge is al-a.s lin6ed -ith power and 4 in order to be regarded as
*valid, 4 must con/orm to the ruling societal canons o/ meaning& -hich de/ine -hich
thoughts are admissible and -hich are not 7!teans@Petti/ord& ?00E: 130L !mith& 1==B:
18180 In other -ords +ost5modern theories are h.+er5critical o/ an. accounts that
+resent themselves as *obDective, -hilst dismissing or e3cluding alternative ac5counts
as trivial& marginal& or */alse, 7c/0 (ie2& ?00F80 Their common concern is to un5dermine
the hegemonic discourses b. e3+osing the te3tual inter+la.s and hidden assum+tions
through -hich +o-er relations are sustained and 7re58+roduced 7c/0 (errida& 1=BF80
This method is called deconstruction 7(ie2& ?00F8: the reading o/ a te3t,s sense 7its
contents and linguistics8 and the reading o/ the te3t,s hidden mes5sage& i0e0 the so5
called knowledge9power5ne3us0 This includes anal.sing -hat is -rit5ten and -hat is
not said or -ritten 7)am+bell& ?00B: ?1F4?188 as the latter ma. have become
triviali2ed or silenced b. the use o/ *binar. o++ositions, such as sel/@other&
central@marginal& truth@/alsit.& or science@non5science 7!teans@Petti/ord& ?00E: 13080 #s
*there is al-a.s more than one reading o/ an. te3t, 7!mith& 1==B: 18?8& the anal5.sis
usuall. also involves a re5inter+retation o/ the events /rom an 4 according to the
mainstream 4 unconventional or dissident +ers+ective that is incom+atible -ith the
dominant -a.s o/ re/erence 7(ie2& ?00F80
In the /ollo-ing -e -ant to consider this theoretical understanding in the movie
Pulp Fiction0 Pulp Fiction 7PF8 is a 1== /ilm directed b. Tuentin Tarantino0 Its re5
ce+tion at the bo3 o//ice -as huge as it grossed about ?10 million <!( -hile hav5
ing been +roduced on a budget o/ onl. 8 million <!(0 In addition& the /ilm -as
highl. acclaimed b. the critics and -on the 3scar /or *>est !creen+la., as -ell as
the 7olden Palm at the )annes Film Festival0 The movie is hence distinctivel. not
-hat its title or the /irst -ord o/ its title 7*+ul+,8 claims it is: rubbish or a trash movie
-ith *a lurid subDect matter, 7PF 0:1880 #lread. in its beginning& the /ilm thus
deliberatel. tries to blur the boundaries bet-een *high, and *lo-, art0
3
PF is /reIuentl. cited as a +rime e3am+le o/ the +ost-modern cinema in an aes5
thetic sense 7!teans@Petti/ord& ?00E: 13B80 Its unconventional multi+le narrative struc5
ture brea6s -ith the tradition o/ linear stor.telling and is there/ore di//icult to
summari2e: The overall +lot is told in three +arallel accounts or maDor stor.lines 7+he
/onnie ituation! +he 7old #atch! and ,incent ,ega and %arcellus #allaces #ife8&
-hich are& ho-ever& eclecticall. narrated in seven seIuences 7K80 In the end& the -hole
stor. is resolved in the /inal co//ee sho+ scene 7The (iner8& -hich is& ho-ever& also the
movie,s beginning or +rologue0 *Pulp Fiction has a circular narrative GJH it shi/ts and
re-inds& /orcing the vie-er to construct the stor. GJH, 7Aillella& ?00080 The
Pers+ectives Aol0 1B& $o0 1
?00= =E
!T"F#$ "$%"RT& #L"'#$("R !P"$)"R
director& Tuentin Tarantino& himsel/ e3+licitl. noted: *GNHou can tell it in an. -a.
.ou -ant0 It,s not Dust& .ou have to tell it linearl.0 GJH Pul+ Fiction -ould GthenH
be dra5maticall. less interesting, 7cited in 1inne/eld& ?00F: B80
#lthough there is a large number o/ di//erent issues o/ +ost5modernism to
/ocus on in the /ilm& the /ollo-ing +art -ill concentrate on three as+ects: /irstl.&
Tarantino,s dis-sident reading o/ violence& secondl.& his homage to dialogue
and the constitutive role o/ language in PF& i0e0 the various -a.s the s+eech5
acts o/ the characters 7re58+roduce a violent -orld& and /inall.& ho- the idea o/
multiple truths relates to a +os5sible criticism o/ +ost5modern theories in IR as
having an arbitrar. understanding of science@1uality0
PF o//ers a dissident +ers+ective on violence and has been largel. critici2ed /or its
e3cessive and 4 /rom a mainstream +oint o/ vie- 4 +oliticall. incorrect dis+la. o/ bru5
talit. 7"bert& ?00180 >ut Iuite contrar. to glamori2ing violence& PF tries to ma6es vi5
olence totall. ridiculous0 The /ilm is a cartoon: its -orld and its actors are +er de/inition
un5realistic& e3aggerated& and -eird as according to Tarantino 71==8& the sole use o/
the violence in PF is to entertain0 In this res+ect& the movie does not -ant to be ta6en
seriousl.L it does not -ant to +aint a *true, account o/ the -orld0 PF is a neo5noir movie:
"ver.thing brutal is covered under a large blan6et o/ blac6 humor& sarcasm& and iron.0
Tarantino,s dis+ro+ortionate use o/ violence aims at *disturbing,

and de5constructing
the arti/icial *good@bad co+, categories0 For e3am+le& the t-o hitmen& Aincent and 9ules
7+la.ed b. 9ohn Travolta and !amuel L0 9ac6son8 cannot be +igeon5holed: The. are
some-hat but not totall. uns.m+athetic& but the. do not clearl. belong to the dar6 side
either0 Moreover& none o/ the 6illings after the intro5ductor. *6ids scene, at the
beginning 7PF 13:84?0:1E8 are +remeditated 4 the. all ha++en b. chance0 $one o/
the homicides are thus meant to create /ear or sus5+ense& -hich -ould be the t.+ical
/unction in ever. *serious, mainstream action movie0 #ccordingl.& it,s not the s+ectacle
7the action8 that is central in PF but the di-alogue0 (uring the -hole movie& Tarantino
ma6es use o/ humorous conversations in order to decrease the negative e//ects o/ the
violent +ictures 71inne/eld& ?00F: 1E41F80 !ee& /or e3am+le& the gangsters, shallo-
*chit chats, about ever.da. mat5ters 7Aillella& ?0008 such as the *little di//erences,
bet-een the <! and "uro+e 7PF B:3E8 or the dangers inherent in /oot massages 7PF
8:30413:0080 <nder *normal, cir5cumstances& the harmless dialogues -ould contrast
shar+l. -ith the evil events0 PF& ho-ever& is not an action movie such as Ram"o or
+erminator in -hich the main characters sa. ver. little0 PF is a celebration o/ language0
It is a *novel converted into a motion +icture, 7Tarantino& 1==8& in -hich +eo+le 4
un/ortunatel.& but consis5tentl. 4 get 6illed during and in5bet-een discourse0
!o language has a central role in PF and is inherentl. lin6ed to violence: it is con5
stitutive /or the agents and structure0 The vulgar& aggressive& and violent verbal
=F Pers+ectives Aol0 1B& $o0 1 ?00=
I$T"R$#TI;$#L R"L#TI;$! #T TC" M;AI"!
communication mirrors ho- the agents understand and construct their -orld0 Ai5olence
is absolutel. *normal, in PF as all the characters have either a totall. agnos5tic or a
su++ortive attitude to-ards violence0 *Aiolence, is 4 so to s+ea6 4 the *mainstream,& i0e0
the *usual, or *ordinar.,& in this -orld: $obod. cares /or not ma5ni+ulating bo3ing
-agers 7PF ??:?F8& earning one,s living honestl. 7PF ?:338& and res+ecting +h.sical
integrit. or /airness in s+orts 7PF 1h11:1180 The dignit. o/ human li/e is +ermanentl.
violated& e0g0 -hen 9ules and Aincent assassinate the college bo.s 7PF ?0:1E8 or -hen
>utch 6ills the unarmed Aincent 7PF 1h?B:E88 and runs over the de/enseless Marcellus
7PF 1h30:880 ;utside& in the real -orld 7the *real, Los #ngeles o/ toda.8& violence is
dissident: Cierarch. and order e3ist& +rotected and en/orced b. state +olice0 >rea6ing
the rules or *the la-, is a criminal act 7ille5gal& not a++ro+riate8 and an e3ce+tion to
norms 7deviant8 4 it usuall. results in going to Dail0 Inside the strange -orld o/ PF& this
logic is reversed: Illegalities& arbi5trar. Dustice& brutalit.& and violence are common0
(isorder and anarch. enable the strong and +o-er/ul to maintain the some-hat cool
and entertaining *t.rann. o/ evil men, 7PF 1=:?05?0:180 The violence in action +er/ectl.
mirrors the violence in language0 9ules 1in/ield,s notorious use o/ the >ible Iuote
"2e6iel ?E:1B& -hich he rituall. cites 7e0g0 PF 1=:1//8 be/ore murdering someone& is
the most re+resentative discursive mani/estation o/ the meaning o/ violence in PF0
Tarantino hence o//ers a dou"le reading o/ violence0 In his various +ortra.als o/
violence& the *usual, moral categories and normative /rames o/ re/erence /all a+art or
become blurred0 1hilst -atching the movie& the s+ectator becomes increasingl.
unsure -hether shooting +eo+le is *terri/.ing, 7PF 13:00//8& */unn., 7PF 1hE1:?0L c/0
?h11:008& or 4 in /act 4 *cool, 7PF ?h1E//L PF ?h?0:0 //80
Caving become accustomed to the *other, +ers+ective on violence throughout the
-hole movie& PF ends -ith a Iuite une3+ected <5turn: the conversion o/ one o/ the
hitmen 79ules80 !imilar to the biblical /igure !aul& -ho trans/ormed into !t0 Paul& 9ules
declares that he -ants to re/rain /rom violence and decides to develo+ into a 7good8
*she+herd, 7PF ?h??:0B43E80 Follo-ing the constitutive /unction o/ language& 9ules,
/reIuentl. cited >ible Iuote undergoes a ne- inter+retation& acIuires a ne- meaning&
and re/lects a ne- +aci/ism and a ne-l. rendered moral understanding0 #s the social
conte3t is di//erent& *"2e6iel ?E:1B, is no longer considered *a cold5blooded thing to sa.,
be/ore e3ecuting +eo+le 7e0g0 PF 1=:1//8& but acIuires a ne- meaning 4 a re5
inter+retation o/ violence as *bad, or *-rong, 4 as an *other, set o/ moral standards to
lead 9ules, ne- li/e 7PF ?h18:1?4?h?3:?EL 1inne/eld& ?00F: 180 The reason /or 9ules,
conversion is a miraculousl. survived shooting: In one scene& a man rushes into the
room and /ires si3 gun shots at him and Aincent& but all o/ these shots miss their target
7PF 1h8:0E4E080 9ules is immediatel. convinced that this *-asn,t GDustH luc6, and
inter+rets the event as *divine intervention: GJH %od came do-n /rom Ceaven and
sto++ed these bullets GJH -hat ha++ened here -as a mira5
Pers+ectives Aol0 1B& $o0 1
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cle, 7PF 1h=:?041hE0:1080 In the a/termath& he in/orms Aincent that he has
decided to Iuit being a hitman 7PF 1hE0:41hE1:0180
>ut the <5turn and its +ractical conseIuences 4 9ules com+letel. changes his li/e
4 are not in line -ith the dissident view on violence so /ar +resented in PF and are
hence +u22ling0 In /act& -e /ind that the ne- +ractice damages the credibilit. o/
Tarantino,s dissident reading o/ violence& in +articular as it goes hand in hand -ith
the conversions o/ other characters such as >utch 7PF 1h3=:004?08 and
ostensibl. Ringo and Nolanda 7PF ?h1=:00L ?h??:8//80 To re+lace the /ilm,s
obviousl. contro5versial but nonetheless straight/or-ard dissident +ers+ective -ith
the *usual, moral condemnation o/ violence and a rather *normal, ha++. ending&
-hich is so o/ten t.+ical /or ever. Coll.-ood /ilm studio& damages the movie,s
tight +ost5modern *gri+, and dilutes the clarit. o/ its dissident +ers+ective0 In doing
so& the movie be5comes much more ordinar.& normal and ver. much attached to
the mainstream cin5ema0 Its *message, then is Iuite sim+le: Instead o/ 7+ositivel.8
irritating the vie-ers in order to induce them to criticall. thin6 about violence& the
vie-ers leave the cin5ema -ith a Iuite contem+lative& rather non5troubling& and
ordinar. message0 This message is: Those -ho continue to live a li/e based on
violence& those -ho are un5able to change and cannot ta6e other +ers+ectives
into account& have made the *-rong, choice: the. are doomed to /ail Dust li6e
Aincent& -ho is 6illed later 7PF 1h?B:E0//80 >ut those -ho are able to change&
those -ho +rogress or are on the -a. to doing so& have made the *right, choice:
the. -ill survive and +robabl. live a di//erent or a better li/e li6e 9ules or li6e >utch
-ith his girl/riend Fabienne 7PF 1h3:004B:0080
#t the end o/ the /ilm& the -orld has become a slightl. better +lace0 In other -ords
there is a /airl. mainstream and common moral message to the /ilm0 This contrasts
shar+l. -ith Tarantino,s *disturbingl., com+le3 and color/ul +ortrait o/ diverse images o/
violence that he has tried to +aint throughout the movie0 The intellectual attrac5tiveness
o/ the dissident discourse on violence combined -ith a multiplicity of per-spectives or
truths is /inall. reduced to a sim+le blac6 and -hite scheme +roclaiming onl. one
rather ordinar. and mainstreamed version o/ truth& -hich is that violence has man.
sha+es and si2es but is al-a.s *bad,0 Rather than inter+reting this as an5other
dissident element -ithin a /ilm in -hich violence has been +ortra.ed as main5stream or
as an interesting change o/ discourse once the ne- and di//erent +ers+ective on
violence is +ut /or-ard b. 9ules& Tarantino de5constructs and con5tradicts ever.thing
that the movie has +reviousl. attem+ted to 7de58construct0 ;ne could also sa. that our
conclusion is an allegor. o/ the so5called *re/le3ivit. +roblem, o/ +ost5modernism 7c/0
(ie2& ?00F8: #s there are no standards /or di//erentiating be5t-een high and lo- art as
-ell as high and lo- science& *an.thing goes,& i0e0 b. e+is5temological de/inition&
nothing can be ruled out as unscienti/ic 7c/0 Colden& ?00F: 80E80 Aice versa& this
assum+tion o/ a total relativity of truth logicall. im+lies that -e
=8 Pers+ectives Aol0 1B& $o0 1 ?00=
I$T"R$#TI;$#L R"L#TI;$! #T TC" M;AI"!
-ill also never 6no- 7/or sure8 -hether -hat -e have seen& heard& or read is a
good +ost5modern stor.& sim+l. mainstream& or Dust *+ul+,0 ;/ course& +ost5
modern anal5.ses are not arbitrar. and there are criteria /or assessing such
research 4 /or e3am5+le& the originalit. and the degree o/ innovation o/ the
alternative +resented& the consistenc. and the +lausibilit. o/ the main
argument& the +otential o/ the anal.sis to contribute to or even solve actual
+olitical +roblems& and its *corrective /unction, 7Mathias #lbert cited in (ie2&
?003: 888& that is& its value in outlining alternatives to the mainstream and
+ointing out the negative conseIuences o/ 6no-ledge5+o-er relationshi+s in
+olitics0 $evertheless& the movie Pulp Fiction o//ers a means o/ de5bating the
abstract notions inherent in the *re/le3ivit. +roblem, o/ +ost5modern IR theor.0
);$)L<(I$% R"M#R:!: TC" *!)I"$)",
;F FILM
The +a+er +rovided an overvie- o/ the bene/its and +roblems o/ using movies in the IR
classroom and has given an insight into the di//erent a++roaches o/ using /ilm0 ;n the
one hand -e have seen some o/ the bene/its o/ using movies: students are used to
and are generall. good at dealing -ith visual material& and it -ould ma6e sense to
utili2e these s6ills that the. alread. have to hel+ them in other areas0 In addition there
are clear medical reasons /or using /ilms in the classroom as vie-ing a /ilm in5volves
the use o/ both halves o/ the brain and there/ore ma6es learning easier0 Cere movies
can also be used as a 6ind o/ em+irical case stud. -hich -ould hel+ us to ma6e
abstract conce+ts understandable0 Films also engage emotions& -hich con5tributes to
the learning +rocess& and using movies can activel. contribute to reduc5ing hierarchies
in the class and encouraging discussion0 ;n the other hand there are scholars -ho
have highlighted a number o/ grave di//iculties and ha2ards: It ma. be ris6. /or the
teacher,s +ro/essional develo+ment as using movies ma. still be seen as unscienti/ic0
)ertain +arts o/ movies ma. be a -aste o/ time as the. do not reall. contribute to the
understanding o/ the issue at large and /ilms generall. do include a lot o/ irrelevant
material0 Films are sim+l. not made /or teaching international +ol5itics: the. onl. /ocus
on certain as+ects -hile neglecting others0 !ome also believe that movies can +rovide
a bad histor. and are subDect to a +ersonal and "urocentric bias0 Caving e3amined
some o/ the good& the bad and the ugl. o/ using /ilms and movies in the IR class room
in the /irst +art o/ the +a+er& -e believe that the bene5/its /ar out-eigh the +roblems0
1e are b. no means claiming that movies should re5+lace the reading o/ +rimar.
literature and academic articles and boo6s& but a combination o/ sho-ing /ilms and
movies together -ith the a++ro+riate reading /or each session does +rovide a /ruit/ul
alternative to a normal lesson0
Co-ever& one has to be care/ul about -hich a++roach one chooses /or a course as
this de+ends ver. much on the learning obDectives o/ the course and the level o/
Pers+ectives Aol0 1B& $o0 1
?00= ==
!T"F#$ "$%"RT& #L"'#$("R !P"$)"R
the students one is teaching0 The /irst a++roach seems ina++ro+riate /or a universit.
as it does not challenge the students to re/lect criticall. about the events seen on the
screen0 The second a++roach could be success/ull. used to give undergraduate stu5
dents an insight into some o/ the more abstract conce+ts /ound in international +ol5
itics& thereb. +re+aring them and giving them tools and in/ormation that -ould be
use/ul /or the rest o/ their studies0 >oth the third and& in +articular& the /ourth a+5+roach
a++ear to be more suited to students -ho alread. have a basic under5standing o/
some o/ the main issues and theories in IR0 Cere the. are led to re/lect more criticall.
on the 6no-ledge the. have so /ar obtained at the universit.0
"$($;T"!
1
For more details& see the o//icial movie -ebsite at www.valleyofthewolvesiraq.com G30 March ?00BH0
?
!ee Tur6ish (ail. $e-s& ?3 Februar. ?00FL Oeit& ?3 Februar. ?00F or 1elt& 18 Februar. ?00F0
3
For more in/ormation see: www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=pulpfiction.htm G8 #ugust ?00BH0
4Tuentin Tarantino cited in Ton. >o-den: Tuentin Tarantino: !ic6 or !ancti/iedQL
www.tmtm.com/ sides/tarant.html G8 #ugust ?00BH0
>I>LI;%R#PCN
#llen& >arbara 71==88 *Ma6ing the )lassroom a !a/e "nvironment,& in 90 P0 Lovell 7ed8 Insights from Film into
,iolence and 3ppression- hattered Dreams of the 7ood .ife& ++0 10E41?E0 1est+ort: Praeger0
#llison& %raham T0 and Phili+ Oeli6o- 71===8 :ssence of Decision- :8plaining the ;u"an %issile
;risis! ?
nd
edition0 Carlo-: Longman0
>erenson& "d-ard 71==F8 *The <se and #buse o/ Cistor.,& *merican <uarterly 8 738: E0B4E1E0
>lei6er& Roland 7?0018 *The #esthetic Turn in International Political Theor.,& %illennium- (ournal
of In-ternational tudies 30 738: E0=4E330
>oggs& )arl and Tom Pollard 7?00F8 *Coll.-ood and the !+ectacle o/ Terrorism,& 'ew Political
cience ?8 738: 33E43E10
)am+bell& (avid 7?00B8 *Poststructuralism,& in T0 (unne& M0 :ur6i and !0 !mith 7eds8 International Re-
lations +heories- Discipline and Diversity& ++0 ?034??80 ;3/ord: ;3/ord <niversit. Press0
)ham+ou3& 9ose+h "0 71===8 *Film as a Teaching Resource,& (ournal of %anagement In1uiry 8
7?8: ?0F4?1B0
)handler& R0 )0 and >0 #0 :0 #dams 71==B8 *Let,s %o to the MoviesK <sing Film to Illustrate >asic
)on5ce+ts in Public #dministration,& Pu"lic ,oices 8 7?8: =4?F0
)oo+er& "ric 7?00?8 *<niversit. ;utreach: Teaching Politics in Film,& +a+er +resented at the
#merican Political !cience #ssociation #nnual Meeting& >oston0
)racium& )laudiu 7?008 *Teaching Political !cience at the Movies,& +a+er +resented at the
"P!$"T Ple5nar. )on/erence& Prague0
(avies& Paul 7?0038 *Terrorism in Film,& Perspective on :vil and $uman #ickedness 1 7?8: ?0=4?110
(ebri3& FranRois 7?00E8 *:ill >ill& Aolume I and Aolume II,& %illennium- (ournal of International
tudies 3 7?8: EE34EEB0
100 Pers+ectives Aol0 1B& $o0 1 ?00=
I$T"R$#TI;$#L R"L#TI;$! #T TC" M;AI"!
(en2in& $orman :0 7?0008 *Reading Film 4 Filme und Aideos als so2ial-issenscha/tliches
"r/ahrungs5material,& in <0 Flic6& "0 von :ardor// and I0 !tein6e 7eds8 <ualitative Forschung- :in
$and"uch& ++0 1F4?80 Reinbe6: Ro-ohlt0
(errida& 9acIues 71=BF8 3f 7rammatology0 >altimore: 9ohns Co+6ins <niversit. Press0
(ie2& Thomas 7?00F8 *Postmoderne #nsUt2e,& in !0 !chieder and M0 !+indler 7eds8 +heorien der
Inter-nationalen /e=iehungen& ++0 B14E030 ;+laden: Aerlag >arbara >udrich0
"bert& Roger 7?0018 *Pul+ Fiction 71==8,& ;hicago un-+imes& 9une 100 ;nline: roerebert.
sun!times.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?A"#=/$%%&%'&%/()*")+,%-/&%'&%%.%&/&%$0
"ric6son& )hristian 10 7?0088 *Thematics o/ )ounterterrorism: )om+aring ? and MI5E@!+oo6s,&
;riti-cal tudies on +errorism 1 738: 3343E80
Fiebig5von Case& Ragnhild and <rsula Lehm6uhl 71==B8 :nemy Images in *merican $istory0
Providence: >erghahn >oo6s0
Foucault& Michel 7?00?8 +he *rchaeology of )nowledge0 London: Routledge0
FrPlich& Margit& )hristian !chneider& and :arsten Aisarius 7eds8 7?0088 Pro>ektionen des
Fundamental-ismus0 Marburg: !chSren0
Funderbur6& )harles 71=B88 *Politics and the Movie,& +eaching Political cience F 718: 111411F0
%erner& (eborah 71=8858=8 *Films and the Teaching o/ Foreign Polic.,& Foreign Policy *nalysis
'otes 1E 738: 34F0
%ianos& Philli+0 L0 71==88 Politics and Politicians in *merican Film0 1est+ort: Praeger0
%iglio& "rnest 7?00?8 *<sing Film to Teach Political )once+ts,& :uropean Political cience 1 7?80 ;nline:
www.essex.ac.u//)01(/publications/eps/onlineissues/sprin$%%$/teachin/ilio.htm0
%iglio& "rnest 7?00E8 $eres .ooking at you 2 $ollywood! Film ? Politics& ?nd edition0 $e- Nor6:
Peter Lang0
%regg& Robert 10 71==88 International Relations on Film0 London: L.nne Rienner0
%regg& Robert 10 71===8 *The Ten >est Films about International Relations,& #orld Policy
(ournal $o0 1F: 1?=4130 0
Cane.& Patric6 7?0008 *Learning #bout Foreign Polic. at the Movies,& in 90 !0 Lantis& L0 M0 :u2ma
and 90 >oehrer 7eds8 +he 'ew International tudies ;lassroom. *ctive +eaching! *ctive
.earning& ++0 ?3=4?E30 London: L.nne Rienner0
Cartlaub& !te+hen 7?0018 *V#ctiveW Teaching X Research: "ngaging !tudents in the )lassroom
and "n5gaging the )lassroom in Research,& International Politics 38 738: ?=43F0
Colden& %erard 7?00F8 *)inematic IR& the !ublime& and the Indistinctness o/ #rt,& %illennium-
(ournal of International tudies 3 738: B=348180
Collis& Martin and !teve !mith 71==18 :8plaining and @nderstanding International Relations0
;3/ord: )laredon Press0
Culsman& 9ohn )0 and #0 1ess Mitchell 7?00=8 +he 7odfather Doctrine- * Foreign Policy
Para"le0 Prince5ton: Princeton <niversit. Press0
:at2enstein& Peter and Robert :eohane 7eds8 7?00B8 *nti-*mericanisms in #orld Politics0
Ithaca: )ornell <niversit. Press0
Pers+ectives Aol0 1B& $o0 1 ?00=
101
!T"F#$ "$%"RT& #L"'#$("R !P"$)"R
:u2ma& L.nn M0 and Patric6 90 Cane. 7?0018 *#nd J #ctionK <sing Film to Learn about Foreign Polic.,&
International tudies Perspectives ? 718: 334E00
LaIueur& 1alter 71=8B8 +he *ge of +errorism0 London: 1eiden/eld X $icolson0
Lee& Patricia5#nn 71==08 *Teaching Film and Television as Inter+reters o/ Cistor.,& in 9ohn "0 ;,)onnor
7ed8 Images as *rtifact- +he $istorical *nalysis of Film and +elevision& ++0 =F410B0 Malabar: :rieger0
Leib& :0 7?0008 *<sing Fiction and Film to Teach Political !cience,& Political cience :ducator B 718: 4F0
Lindle.& (an 7?0018 *1hat I Learned since I !to++ed 1orr.ing and !tudied Movies: # Teaching
%uide to !tanle. :ubric6,s V(r0 !trangeloveW,& P- Political cience and Politics 3 738: FF34FFB0
Lovell& 9ohn P0 7ed8 71==88 Insights from Film into ,iolence and 3ppression- hattered Dreams
of the 7ood .ife0 1est+ort: Praeger0
L.otard& 9ean5Francois 71=88 +he Postmodern ;ondition- * Report on )nowledge0
Manchester: Manch5ester <niversit. Press0
March& 9ames %0 and 9ohan P0 ;lsen 71=8=8 Rediscovering Institutions. +he 3rgani=ational
/asis of Pol-itics0 $e- Nor6: The Free Press0
March& 9ames %0 and 9ohan P0 ;lsen 71==88 *The Institutional (.namics o/ International Political ;rders,&
International 3rgani=ation E? 78: =34=F=0
Miller& %regor. 7?00F8 *Fear on Film: )an Coll.-ood Teach <s about TerrorismQ,& +a+er +resented at
the #merican Political !cience #ssociation Teaching and Learning )on/erence& 1ashington0
Millett& 9ohn (0 71=B8 *The <se o/ Aisual #ids in Political !cience Teaching,& *merican Political
cience Review 1 738: E1B4E?B0
Mitchell& 1illiam 90 Thomas 71==8 Picture +heory- :ssays on ,er"al and ,isual Representation0
)hicago: <niversit. o/ )hicago Press0
;,Meara& Patric6 71=BF8 *The <se o/ Full5Length )ommercial Films in Political !cience
<ndergraduate "ducation,& +eaching Political cience 3 7?8: ?1E4??10
Pollard& Tom 7?00?8 *The Coll.-ood 1ar Machine,& 'ew Political cience ? 718: 1?1413=0
Po-ner& Leanne )0 and Michelle #llendoer/er 7?0088 *"valuating C.+otheses about #ctive Learning,&
International tudies Perspectives = 718: BE48=0
Redmond& 9ohn and Roderic6 Pace 71==F8 *"uro+ean !ecurit. in the 1==0s and >e.ond: The
Im+lica5tions o/ the #ccession o/ ).+rus and Malta to the "uro+ean <nion,& ;ontemporary
ecurity Policy 1B 738: 304E00
Risse& Thomas 7?0008 *VLet,s #rgueKW: )ommunicative #ction in 1orld Politics,& International
3rgani-=ation E 718: 143=0
Ruane& #bigail "0 and Patric6 9ames 7?0088 *The International Relations o/ Middle5earth:
Learning /rom The Lord o/ the Rings,& International tudies Perspectives = 78: 3BB43=0
!achleben& Mar6 and :evan M0 Nenerall 7?00?8 *!eeing the >igger Picture 4 <sing Film to
Re+resent )ross5Field Problems in the Political !cience )lassroom,& +a+er +resented at the
#merican Political !ci5ence #ssociation #nnual Meeting& >oston0
!anche2& 9ose M0 71=BF8 *Coll.-ood )omes to )lass,& +eaching Political cience 718: =34==0
!locum& 90 (avid 7ed8 7?00E8 +errorism! %edia! .i"eration0 $e- >runs-ic6: Rutgers <niversit. Press0
10? Pers+ectives Aol0 1B& $o0 1 ?00=
I$T"R$#TI;$#L R"L#TI;$! #T TC" M;AI"!
Smith, Steve (1997) New Approaches to International Theory, in John aylis an! Steve Smith (e!s) The Globalization of World Politics: An Introduction To International Relations, pp" 1#$%19&" '()or!* '()or! +niversity ,ress"
Spencer, Ale(an!er (-&&.) Teachin/ Terrorism at the Theatre, paper presente! at the
0IS1 Secon! 2lo3al International St4!ies 1on)erence, 5643l6ana"
Steans, Jill an! 5loy! ,etti)or! (-&&$) Introduction to International Relations: Perspectives and Themes" 7arlow* 5on/man"
Tarantino, 84entin (1999) :ein ;op) plat<t )ast vor ne4en I!een, Focus =ol" 99, >1 'cto3er" 'nline* www.focus.de//ultur/medien//ultur!mein!/opf!plat2t!fast!vor!neuen!ideen3aid3&4-'5..html"
+?ar, 'r@4n an! 4ra@ T4rna (-&&9) Metal Frtna " Istan34l* TimaABayCnev"
=illella, Diona A" (-&&&) 1irc4lar Narratives* 7i/hli/hts o) ,op4lar 1inema in the 9&s, enses of !in"ema" 'nline* www.sensesofcinema.com/contents/%%/./circular.html6b$"
0aal@es, Scott (-&&>) +sin/ Dilm 1lips as 1ases to Teach the Eise an! FGeclineH o) the State, Interna" tional tudies Perspective 9 (-)* 1$#%179"
0e33er, J4lie (-&&$) Independence #a$ as a 1osmopolitan :oment* Teachin/ International Eelations,
International tudies Perspective # (>)* >79%>9-"
0e3er, 1ynthia (-&&1) The 7i/hs an! 5ows o) Teachin/ IE Theory* +sin/ ,op4lar Dilms )or TheoretiIcal
1ritiJ4e, International tudies Perspective - (>)* -.1%-.7"
0e3er, 1ynthia (-&&$) International Relations Theor$: A !ritical Introduction, -
nd
K!ition" 5on!on*
Eo4tIle!/e"
0e3er, 1ynthia (-&&#) Ima%inin% America at War: Moralit$& Politics and Film" 5on!on* Eo4tle!/e"
0el!es, J4tta (1999) 2oin/ 14lt4ral* Star Tre@, State Action, an! ,op4lar 14lt4re, Millennium: 'ournal of International
tudies -. (1)* 117%1>9"
0el!es, J4tta (-&&1) 2lo3alisation is Science Diction, Millennium: 'ournal of International
tudies >& (>)* #97%##7"
0el!es, J4tta (-&&>) ,op4lar 14lt4re, Science Diction an! 0orl! ,olitics* K(plorin/
Interte(t4al EelaItions, in J4tta 0el!es (e!) To ee( out )e* Worlds: cience Fiction and
World Politics, pp" 1%-7" New Bor@* ,al/rave :acmillan"
0eller, 1hristoph (199-) Dein!3il!er 4n! ihr Ler)all" Kine Analyse !es Kinstell4n/swan!els /e/enM3er !er Sow6et4nion" TM3in/er
Ar3eitspapiere <4r internationalen ,oliti@ 4n! Drie!ens)orsch4n/, No" 1." 'nline* www.philso.uni!
ausbur.de/lehrstuehle/politi//politi/&/mitarbeiter/weller/pdf3buecher 3forschunsberichte/+eller!7eindbilder!und!ihr!8erfall!&99$.pdf"
0il@ins, ;arin an! John Gowin/ (-&&-) :e!iatin/ Terrorism* Te(t an! ,rotest in Interpretations o) The
ie%e, !ritical tudies in Media !ommunication 19 (9)* 919%9>7"
0inne)el!, Sven (-&&#) ,4lp Diction % A 14lt :ovieN" 'nline* www.q!tarantino.de/downloads/
researchpaper3pulpfiction3by3sven3winnefeld.pdf"
Pers+ectives Aol0 1B& $o0 1 ?00=
103