Fafnir (Dec 2017)
Violence, Politics, and Religion: Cosmic War in Game of Thrones
Abstract
Religious violence and religious politics are highly intertwined concepts whose coexistence presents a danger to the current American political and religious systems. The Song of Ice and Fire series by George R.R. Martin and the accompanying television show, Game of Thrones, provide a case study with which to view this relationship between religion, politics, and violence, and then apply the findings to America’s political landscape. The storylines of Stannis Baratheon, Daenerys Targaryen, and the Faith Militant illustrate the notion of cosmic war and serve as an exploration of potential impending violence from the mixture of religion and politics in modern America.
