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Eye of Sauron: Rings of Power
09/01/2022
Eye of Sauron: Rings of Power
Today’s episode kicks off our series on the American right’s obsession with Lord of the Rings. Craig tells Dani all about Amazon’s brand new, billion-dollar Rings of Power series, and we discuss the mobs of far-right trolls that have flooded the new production with waves of racist and misogynistic hate. We also take a step back to think through the larger, social ecosystem that these online fascists have learned to harness in their decades-long, anti-democratic culture war. In the second half of the show, we go back in time to the release of Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings films, which came out in the aftermath of 9/11. Craig recalls his experience of the films’ release as George W. Bush rallied the nation for a retributive war in the Middle East, and we discuss the revolutionary potential that neo-fascist figures like Steve Bannon have found in fantasy fandom. To order transcripts, suggest episode topics, or learn more about our work, visit TheAmericanId.com (coming soon!). You can also write us at . If you’d like to support us, you can find us on Patreon @AmericanId. Notes , “Amazon’s Lord of the Rings Series Rises: Inside The Rings of Power.” Anthony Breznican and Joanna Robinson, 10 Feb. 2022. , “‘The history of fantasy is racialized’: Lord of the Rings series sparks debate over race.” Sam Thielman, 20 Feb. 2022. , “Lord of the Rings: debunking the backlash against non-white actors in Amazon’s new adaptation.” Dimitri Fimi and Mariana Rios Maldonado. 25 Feb. 2022. , “Feeding on Fantasy.” Lev Grossman, 2 Dec. 2002. Further Reading . Helen Young, Routledge Press, 2018. . Kristin Thomas, University of California Press, 2007.
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