Arrakis was made to test the faithful, so the Fremen saying goes. So, too, can it test the comprehension of International Relations undergraduates grappling with questions of political theory. An 18 year old undergraduate studying in 2025 was born in 2007. How dare they be so young. Worse, I choose to teach them the writings of ibn khaldun, a man born in 1332. Worse still, those writings are about the politics of medieval North Africa, a region which my students have never studied, using concepts like ‘assabiyya which my students have never heard of. The good news: I am not teaching History, but International Relations Theory.As such, it is the dynamics of political change that are crucial, not the details of life and kingdoms in North Africa. I have used those dynamics in my own research, in an analysis of the contemporary Crisis of Liberal International Order (Sheikh and Thomas 2025), and more or less invite the students to do the same, to use classical political thought in the analysis of contemporary politics. Dune Part one came out in 2021 and won 5 Academy Awards. Dune Part Two came out in 2024 and won 2 Academy Awards.My students may know little about the Bedouin conquest of the Maghreb in the 12th century, but they are well aware of the battle of the fictional Fremen to repel the imperialist forces on their planet, arrakis. If Saddam Hussein is as much a fictional character as Captain Kirk for students born in 2007,why not meet them where they are and illustrate political concepts through popular culture?
I’m not the only one who thinks so. The far right also utilise popular culture to animate their ideas – Elon Musk famously Tweeted an image from 1997’s Starship Troopers in support of his cuts to US government services (The Self-reliant 2024). he was seemingly unaware that Starship Troopers is a satire of fascism (Child 2022). Or maybe he is aware and that is the point (Goodman 2025). So,bringing popular culture into the classroom is less a transgression on my part than it is indeed meeting the current moment of politics and education through memes and TikTok. This type of work entered IR as ‘the aesthetic turn’ in 2001 (Bleiker 2001), and has had a prolific presence ever since (and even before) (Holden 2006; Grayson et al. 2009; Buzan 2010; Sachleben 2014; Crilley 2021; Weldes 1999).
So, when my 18 year old students come to the class on Ibn Khaldun in their first year of study on the BA International Relations programme at the University of sussex, I ask them how many have seen Dune. 80% or more of the hands go up, and inevitably one hero says they have read the novel. It is indeed short work to go from ther, to watching the trailer of one of the films, or a short clip, and asking the students, in groups, to relate what they have seen or what they know of the films, to the preparatory reading they have done for class. This is incredibly useful conceptually, helping the students digest a text far removed from their previous education and knowledge, allowing them to make connections and develop an understanding they have earned themselves, through their own efforts in class. To explain how, you will have to indulge me as I take you through the plot and ideas of two books I love very much: Frank Herbert’s novel, Dune, published in 1968, and Ibn Khaldun’s scholarly text, Muqaddimah (Introduction), published in 1377.
Dune is an epic story of cosmic politics,prophecy,and treachery. A science fiction setting mixed with feudal political dynamics,the book chronicles the changing fortunes of House Atreides and its leader,Paul,as they settle on a desert planet,win the trust (or manipulate) the local population in order to conduct a war,or jihad in the language of local Fremen,against all the enemies of the Atreides. The Fremen are so effective an ally of Paul because they live hardy lives in the desert, far from the decadence of wealth. They are accustomed to hardship, and this is in part due to a faith in themselves, their mission, and their
Dune: Reflecting Society’s “Self” and “Other”
Dune isn’t just a science fiction story; its a lens through which we can examine societal perceptions.Specifically, how does the film portray the Fremen – its “space Arabs” – without casting a single Arab actor in a speaking role? the Fremen are deeply religious, a faith exploited for violent purposes. They’re also a native resistance fighting an occupying force.This combination begs a critical question: what does this depiction reveal about how society constructs the concepts of “Self” and “Other”?
The film risks reinforcing a dangerous narrative: the irrational, brown masses needing a white savior to channel their inherent violence into meaningful political action. This isn’t about simply lacking representation; it’s about the implications of who tells the story and how they’re portrayed. The absence of Arab voices in portraying the fremen speaks volumes about power dynamics and ingrained biases.
Using popular culture like Dune – or even star Trek – offers a unique chance for academic discussion. It levels the playing field. It can be daunting to engage with leading experts in a field, creating a barrier for those new to the topic.But with a shared cultural touchstone,everyone can participate. Bringing together researchers and students to analyze these works fosters accessible conversations where professors and undergraduates can learn from each other.
Bibliography
Bleiker, Roland. 2001. ‘The Aesthetic turn in International Political Theory’. Millennium 30 (3): 509-33. https://doi.org/10.117