In the process of interpreting texts, remember to ask these questions:

Message: What is the primary message of the text? What other messages are contained in the text? What is the plot or story?

Form: How does the text's form affect its message?

Production: When, where, by whom, how, and why is the text produced? How does the text's authorship affect its message?

Audience: Who is the audience? What are the intended and unintended effects of the text on the audience? How does the audience's reception of the text affect its message?

Political Context: How does the political situation affect the production, content, and audience interpretation of the text? How does the text affect and/or influence the political situation in which it is produced and consumed, if at all?

A Brief Overview of Politics

I. What is Politics?

A. How people govern themselves

B. A debate over interests: Contestation

1. Coordination games versus...

2. Prisoner's Dilemma as a model for individual security

C. How do interests arise?

D. How does politics shape interests?

E. Allocating resources in light of conflicting interests:

1. Adjudicating among interests

a. The individual and society

F. Erecting governance

G. Individual liberties

1. Civil rights

2. Duties and responsibilities versus freedom

II. The "location" of politics

A. Individual

B. Local/Region

C. National

D. International

III. Political ideologies

A. Classical Conservatism

B. Classical Liberalism

C. Progressive Liberalism

D. Libertarianism

E. Reactionary Conservatism

F. Communism and Socialism

IV. Political change I: Negotiated Change: Contractual forms of government

A. Democracy/Corporatism/Consociationalism

B. Political parties

C. Voting

D. Grassroots organizing

E. Interest group lobbying

F. Re-Writing constitutions or laws

G. Separatism/Secession?

V. Branches of government

A. Legislative

B. Executive

C. Judicial

VI. Political change II: Violent Change

A. Coups d'etat

B. Revolutions

C. Terrorism

D. Separatism/Secession?

When thinking about the political context, remember to ask these questions:

What issues of governance are involved?

How does government shape the instance of popular culture or is shaped by it?

What interests are at stake?

Whose interests are at stake?

What political interests are reinforced or challenged by the instance of popular culture?

What interests created the instance of popular culture or were shaped by it?

What resources (tangible or otherwise) are involved?

What political outcomes might be brought about by the instance of popular culture?