Policy Galore : How the Films of James Bond Tell the World What Issues Really Matter

Abstract

The James Bond films are icons of style and adventure. The films' perfectly-tailored suits, gourmet food, and sleek automobiles have always reflected the evolving benchmarks of Western style. In the same way, the Bond films can act as a measure of the evolving set of dominant western political issues, from the Cold War to space weaponry, from the drug trade to blood diamonds. We do not view the Bond films as setting the patterns for global issues. Rather, we assert they engage issues that have reached a critical mass in Western political consciousness. In this paper, we examine the James Bond series and connect the plot lines to the issues that dominated the contemporaneous political debate.