In 2006, I completed a master’s thesis for my MA in political science at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. The thesis focused on the nexus of the changing international order and a new form of celebrity political power.
Bono, from the rock band U2, fortuitously emerged as a celebrity advocate during this changing global order, working alongside the new transnational civil society that was dedicated to eradicating extreme global poverty. Using his considerable personal skill sets, Bono built upon the work of previous celebrity advocates to develop a new model for celebrity activism. My thesis tells that story.
The thesis, Celebrity Political Activism in the Era of Transnational Civil Society: Bono’s Political Efforts and Methods, was later adapted as a published book, Bono's Politics: The Future of Celebrity Activism.