Back to the Future: The Return of 'the 1980s' in Western Popular Culture and its Political Implications

Abstract: Over the last five to ten years there has been a re-emergence of ‘the 1980s’ in western popular culture. From music and fashion, to television and film, the decade has made a sustained and emphatic return across many countries. But despite this widespread socio-cultural prominence, ‘the 1980s’ trend has yet to be analysed from a political perspective. Influenced by the ‘aesthetic turn’ movement in Political Science, as well as nascent but growing research into the important role of identity and emotions within the field, this project intends to remedy this disciplinary lacuna. More precisely, two programmes on the international streaming service Netflix – Stranger Things and Sex Education – were qualitatively and quantitively assessed to understand ‘the 1980s’ trend on television. From this mixed method approach it was found that the decade’s return represents a transnational and transgenerational rejection of contemporary society, particularly against the disruptive forces of globalisation and late capitalism, by audiences wanting to escape to an earlier, different time that offers them identity security and emotional comfort. As such, ‘the 1980’s trend in western popular culture is not only a politically significant event that expands our knowledge of the ways people are reacting to modern life, alongside the more researched responses of nationalism and far right populism. It also signifies a call for social change and academic re-invention. By incorporating more unconventional concepts into Political Science we can hear, and respond to, the disillusioned statement millions of people are making about the world they live in. This is essential in moving away from unhelpful escapes to the past and towards a better future.