Although Tolkien was also writing for, and about, a relatively isolated, sleepy, introspective land that had suddenly found its borders threatened and broached by a raging conflict and swarming, mechanised evil that threatened its very existence, and killed half a million (one in a hundred) of its citizens.

Perhaps LOTR as WW2 allegory might be another academic angle to take, to avoid being laughed out of town. The retreat into folklore as a way of trying to come to terms with, overcome and learn from the horror of modernity.

That is at least part of what it involves, I think.