Why Hollywood Isn't As Liberal As We Think and Why It Matters
Graduation Year
2019
Date of Submission
4-2019
Document Type
Campus Only Senior Thesis
Degree Name
Bachelor of Arts
Department
Government
Reader 1
Jon Shields
Terms of Use & License Information
Rights Information
© 2019 Amanda E Daily
Abstract
Hollywood has long had a reputation as a liberal institution. Especially in 2019, it is viewed as a highly polarized sector of society sometimes hostile to those on the right side of the aisle. But just because the majority of those who work in Hollywood are liberal, that doesn’t necessarily mean our entertainment follows suit. I argue in my thesis that entertainment in Hollywood is far less partisan than people think it is and moreover, that our entertainment represents plenty of conservative themes and ideas.
In doing so, I look at a combination of markets and artistic demands that restrain the politics of those in the entertainment industry and even create space for more conservative productions. Although normally art and markets are thought to be in tension with one another, in this case, they conspire to make our entertainment less one-sided politically. From the role that China plays in Hollywood productions to examining the politics of The Matrix and other pop culture staples, I work to deconstruct the notion that Hollywood and its entertainment are solely a liberal endeavor. Less polarization in entertainment brings forth a variety of important implications, one such being that Hollywood will continue to act as an institution that provides intellectual diversity and entertainment for all.
Recommended Citation
Daily, Amanda, "Why Hollywood Isn't As Liberal As We Think and Why It Matters" (2019). CMC Senior Theses. 2230.
https://scholarship.claremont.edu/cmc_theses/2230
This thesis is restricted to the Claremont Colleges current faculty, students, and staff.
