This thesis deals with the changing notions of American identity as conveyed and fashioned through children’s consumer products throughout the 20th century. Each case study looks at a different period of time though a sampling of material culture, literature, and entertainment spaces. The thesis begins with the advent of the American toy industry in the early twentieth century and looks at the early implications of linking children’s toys with patriotism and whiteness. Chapter two examines the Great Depression and the ways different groups used children’s dolls and toys to elaborate a vision of the country they longed for during an unstable time. Chapter three looks at the consensus history of America as told through two children’s history books series (Random House’s Landmark Books and Bobbs-Merrill’s Childhood of Famous Americans) published during the Cold War. Chapter four looks at Freedomland U.S.A., an American history themed amusement park that sprang up and then was quickly torn down in the Bronx in the 1960s. The thesis concludes with a chapter that looks at the production of a multicultural, global , but ultimately homogenous American girl through the many facets of the American Girl Brand from the 1980s to the present. Through these objects, books, toys, dolls, and amusement parks, this thesis traces the myths and lessons sold to children in their leisure items, making it clear that childhood is political. This set of cases, each concerned with American history, it becomes clear over the course of the last century, consumerism has become a primary way children learn to access American democracy and engage in political action.
Subject (authority = RUETD)
Topic
American Studies
RelatedItem (type = host)
TitleInfo
Title
Rutgers University Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Identifier (type = RULIB)
ETD
Identifier
ETD_8521
PhysicalDescription
Form (authority = gmd)
electronic resource
InternetMediaType
application/pdf
InternetMediaType
text/xml
Extent
1 online resource (ix, 317 p. : ill.)
Note (type = degree)
Ph.D.
Note (type = bibliography)
Includes bibliographical references
Subject (authority = ETD-LCSH)
Topic
Children
Subject (authority = ETD-LCSH)
Topic
Consumers--United States
Note (type = statement of responsibility)
by Molly Rosner
RelatedItem (type = host)
TitleInfo
Title
Graduate School - Newark Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Identifier (type = local)
rucore10002600001
Location
PhysicalLocation (authority = marcorg); (displayLabel = Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey)
I hereby grant to the Rutgers University Libraries and to my school the non-exclusive right to archive, reproduce and distribute my thesis or dissertation, in whole or in part, and/or my abstract, in whole or in part, in and from an electronic format, subject to the release date subsequently stipulated in this submittal form and approved by my school. I represent and stipulate that the thesis or dissertation and its abstract are my original work, that they do not infringe or violate any rights of others, and that I make these grants as the sole owner of the rights to my thesis or dissertation and its abstract. I represent that I have obtained written permissions, when necessary, from the owner(s) of each third party copyrighted matter to be included in my thesis or dissertation and will supply copies of such upon request by my school. I acknowledge that RU ETD and my school will not distribute my thesis or dissertation or its abstract if, in their reasonable judgment, they believe all such rights have not been secured. I acknowledge that I retain ownership rights to the copyright of my work. I also retain the right to use all or part of this thesis or dissertation in future works, such as articles or books.