Overview

Not just another book on Star Wars, The Reign of Fantasy provides an explanation for the program's monumental political support during the Reagan years. The fundamental argument of the book is that the more fantastic the Star Wars proposal became, the greater the political success of the SDI program. And, though its primary focus is on Star Wars, the book's greatest contributions lie in the broader questions it raises concerning presidential leadership. What is the role of utopian visions in presidential politics? How could a surreal dream actually drive strategic policy? What are the future implications of Reagan's reign of fantasy to American-style democracy?

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9780820417714

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Hunter argues that what won public support for Reagan's 'Star Wars' program was its subliminal appeal to American myths cherished most of all by Reagan himself. The Strategic Defense Initiative proved to be of very real political and strategic significance precisely because it was pure American fantasy. (Christopher Jones, The Henry M. Jackson School of International Studies) Hunter's bold and compelling analysis of the Strategic Defense Initiative contributes important new insights not only about the dynamics of the Reagan phenomenon, but also regarding the role of fantasy more generally in American national politics. (Michael McCann, University of Washington)

Author Information

The Author: Kerry Hunter received his Ph.D. in political science from the University of Washington. He is currently an assistant professor at Albertson College of Idaho, where he teaches courses in American politics and culture, political philosophy, and constitutional law.

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