Foreign Policy and the End of the Cold War

Geraghty, Ch. 3

What is the common criticism of science fiction film of the 1970s?

What was the common theme or style of most 70s science fiction film?

How did sports often fit into this style of 70s sci-fi films?

How did Soylent Green figure into this dystopia genre?

How did 1970’s sci-fi films deal with technology?

How did Star Wars relate with larger social and political context of late 70s and early 80s?

How did TV attempt to tap into the success of late 60s and early 70s sci-fi films and why were they not so successful?

Why were Six Million Dollar Man and Bionic Woman more successful sci-fi?

“Representation is Futile”

How do the authors characterize US foreign policy in the 20th century?

How do authors see a similarity between production and consumption of US foreign policy and Star Trek?
           
How did Borg early on in Star Trek: The Next Generation appear so dangerous or threatening?

What specific signs did TNG offer that indicated that Borg so different?

How does the changing nature of Borg reflect basic themes of Star Trek?

How does the increasing focus on Borg individuality change the audience’s view of the nature of the Borg?
           
How does the changing nature of the Borg from The Next Generation to Voyager reflect US foreign policy according to the authors?

Huntington, “The Erosion of National Interests”

What does Huntington mean that Americans historically defined themselves and their nation in contrast to the “other?” Why did this become important in the early post-cold war era?

What social and cultural factors in the late 20th century make the need of an opposing other more needed or desired? How did these factors change the nation by the 90s?

What is the author’s point about the Clinton administration’s policies that focus on economic and ethnic interests and not a national interest?

According to Huntington what has happened to American power in the world with the end of the Cold War?