Recasting the Disney Princess in an Era of New Media and Social Movements

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In the late 2000s, the Walt Disney Company expanded, rebranded, and recast itself around woke, empowered entertainment. This new era revitalized its princess franchise, seeking to elevate its female characters into heroes who save the day. Recasting the Disney Princess in an Era of New Media and Social Movements analyzes the way that the Walt Disney Company has co-opted contemporary social discourse, incorporating how audiences interpret their world through new media and activism into the companys branding initiatives, programming, and films. The contributors in this collection study the companys most iconic franchise, the Disney princesses, to evaluate how the company has addressed the patriarchy its own legacy cemented. Recasting the Disney Princess outlines how the current Disney era reflects changes in a global society where audiences are empowered by new media and social justice movements.

Reviews

Media entertainment reflects the culture of its time. In this volume, Roberts introduces readers to "Disney 4.0"--a brand of Disney in which protagonists are as diverse as the children and adults who watch these stories. From the author's own recollections of her daughter's desire to be the next Vanellope Von Schweetz (the daredevil racer and one of the heroes of the Wreck it Ralph films) to a collection of essays from children recounting their excitement with seeing princesses on-screen that looked "just like me," Roberts and her contributors make a compelling argument for why diversity matters for Disney and for us all. Through a mix of anecdote and theory, this volume assembles a diverse set of voices who individually and jointly make a strong case for why we should critically consume the heroes of our generation and past generations. The book is easily accessible and should inspire us to revisit our familiar Disney properties with a fresh perspective.--Nicholas Bowman, Texas Tech University
Recasting the Disney Princess in an Era of New Media and Social Movements offers an insightful and unique analysis of the Disney princess as a pop culture phenomenon. This volume interrogates the values that drive Disney movie narratives, scripts, and assumptions. Each contribution gives the reader a new perspective, forcing one to reflect on the role and influence of entertainment in shaping social norms. This book opens new vistas to our theoretical, philosophical, and practical understanding of entertainment culture. It is a timely and critical resource for the pop culture industry, scholars, professionals, and consumers.--Bala A. Musa, Azusa Pacific University
Shearon Roberts brings together a range of critical contributions to scholarly discussions about the contemporary Disney princess brand and connected consumer culture. This book offers incisive analyses of Disney's changing media landscape and related issues concerning race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, coloniality, structural inequalities, and the marketing of "difference." It explores socio-political dimensions of Disney pop-culture and offers readers the chance to learn about the evolving image of the Disney princess.--Francesca Sobande, Cardiff University

Author Bio

Shearon Roberts is assistant professor of mass communication and affiliate faculty member in African American and diaspora studies at Xavier University of Louisiana.