"Increasingly, politicians are seen simply as managers of public life. But now, they have discovered a new role that restores their power and authority. Instead of delivering dreams, politicians now promise to protect us from nightmares."

The Power of Nightmares is the title of a trilogy of one-hour documentaries made by Adam Curtis (The Mayfair Set) that aired on BBC2 in the UK in late October of 2004. The documentaries trace the histories of American neoconservatism and radical Islamicism (that is to say, radical political Islam). A politically charged investigation airing in politically charged times, The Power of Nightmares makes some interesting allegations, and a couple of downright shocking ones, too. It has, of course, drawn criticism from right-leaning pundits and publications, including Rupert Murdoch's Fox News Channel, and the National Review. The purpose of this write-up will be to explain the salient points of the documentaries, analyze the presentation of information, and finally look at some of the reactions generated online.

Salient Points

Analysis of presentation of information in The Power of Nightmares

A look at Reactions to The Power of Nightmares