The Fictional Female Presidency in Film, Television, and Literature

This book examines the ways in which U.S. pop culture has entertained the notion of a female Commander in Chief through depictions in film, television, and literature dating back to the 1930s. Kathleen W. Taylor Kollman analyzes these portrayals across a number of genres and media to demonstrate how the position of audiences -- and in the 21st century, content creators -- has shifted when considering the idea of a woman running the United States. Kollman then contextualizes each example by positioning it alongside real-life women in politics to examine how these portrayals compare to the media framing of aspiring presidential candidates. By analyzing pop culture works including science fiction dystopias, slapstick comedies, political dramas, satire, and romance novels, she comments on how genre can also play a critical factor in the framing of these women in regard to both subject matter and approach. Scholars interested in parasocial relationships, the history of feminist movements, the intersection of political and media audiences, and popular media trends will find this book particularly compelling.