The Political Fiction of Ward Just

The Political Fiction of Ward Just: Imagining a Ruling Elite, Class, and Theories of Representation uses three theoretical frameworks of representationliterary, political, and diplomaticto demonstrate how the upper-class status of the ruling elites in Ward Justs political fiction influences the way they govern. He illustrates how Justs ruling elites develop a coherent upper class form of consciousness that limits their ability as elected officials to adequately represent the interests of all the nations citizens domesticallyespecially the poor and working classand their ability as diplomats to adequately represent the interests of the nation as a whole internationally. In his conclusion, the author offers suggestions for ways to make our ruling elites more representative of the interests of the working class and underprivileged groups at home and more sensitive to the cultures of the countries in which they serve abroad.