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The Play of Political Culture, Emotion and Identity offers a uniquely 'psycho-cultural' take on the psycho-dynamics of UK political culture. It uses an interdisciplinary approach that draws on theories and research in psychoanalysis, cultural and media studies and political sociology to explore the cultural and emotional processes that shape our relationship to politics in the late modern, media age. Against the backdrop of promotional, celebrity culture and personality politics, the book uses the notion of 'play' as a metaphor to explore the flirtatious dynamics that are often present in the mediatised, interactive sphere of political culture and the discussion is elaborated upon by discussing different aspects of cultural and political identity, including, gender, class and nation. These themes are engaged with through selected case studies and examples, including the flirtation of Tony Blair, Joanna Lumley's Gurkha campaign, Margaret Thatcher's funeral, David Cameron's identity as a father and the populist appeal of UKIP politician, Nigel Farage.
