The impact of the United States political climate on zombie film production

Since the 1960s, zombie films have proliferated across the United States and the world. They have also regularly been used as a vehicle for political commentary. This thesis examines the zombie genre as a form of social engagement with the notion of governmental legitimacy. By examining films produced across several distinct political eras (the Cold War, the HIV/AIDS epidemic, 9/11 and the War on Terror, and Trump-era politics), this thesis argues that zombie films reveal a unique cultural dialogue on the subject of governmental legitimacy, with zombies as a stand-in for a variety of social crises.