ABSTRACT
This short introductory piece outlines the main assertions of the book, why cultural studies and the study of popular culture are important, and how the chapters of the book are organized. The purpose of the book is to propose, describe, and demonstrate in action a new genre of political satire that has arisen over the past four decades. The thesis of the study is that in response to the ascendancy of neoliberal economic policies and neoconservative global policies in America (and, more generally, the west), this new form of imaginative political protest has blended together the distinct genres of satire, science fiction, and monster tale in ways that expose and challenge the current status quo. Together, these three generic ingredients create what is called the Rant or, more exactly, speculative satire. This form of political attack targets what is called the Regime, meaning the dominance and hegemonic discourse of neoliberalism and neoconservatism.
