Using a complex type of content analysis - topology and myth analysis - , based on structuralist considerations, the paper first identifies the topological structure of the two most successful popular phantasy novels of the last half century, Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter. It then searches key publications of the variety of liberal theories on international relations - cosmopolitan democracy, democratic peace, the “league of democracies”, and neoconservatism - for their similarities with that structure. The analysis reveals both the basic congruence of these theoretical accounts with the narrative structure of the novels as well as interesting variations among and between the theoretical narratives. To understand the power of deep-seated myth in our own cultural disposition might help to acquire the necessary critical distance to mitigate our own proneness to stimulate conflict and engage in violent behaviour against the “other” in international politics or at home.
