Barbie Feminist eller förkastlig förebild? En diskursanalytisk studie av en populärkulturell ikon.

Abstract

The Barbie doll is an icon filled with meanings; this thesis discusses the Barbie doll and her feministic potentials and subject positions using a discourse analysis. The thesis analyzes what sort of femininity Barbie portraits in magazines, web series and films about her. Theories being used originate mainly from gender and queer studies, where the focus is on the performative constructions of gender and femininity. Since the material mostly consists of moving images some influence is taken from feminist film theorists and semiotic theory, which focuses on signs and their meaning. The thesis centres around the questions: how is Barbie’s femininity challenged, strengthened and constructed in different types of media about her produced by Mattel? And is there any feminist potential in Barbie’s subject positions in these media forms?