Pop-up Disney!, 5 cr

Death by Disney? Orphans and evil step-mothers? Disney romances? Disney animated films from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and Dumbo to The Black Cauldron, Lion King and Frozen have become a notable part of global consumer culture and entertainment. Disney films have also played an important role in consumers’ recollections of childhood and family fun, as well as mobilised in them intense emotions from happiness and pleasure to fear. Disney has, however, also become an object of critical debates and discussions in more recent decades. Critics have, for example, observed on Disney films’ standard formulas, conservative ideology, continuing emphasis on whiteness and lack of diversity in characters, and resistance to social change. Thus, during the past decade or two, Disney has faced pressure to introduce more diverse characters and less conservative or conventional storylines.

While the course highlights Disney animated films, its main focus lies in practicing how to create and give oral presentations. The course uses alternative study methods and focuses on individual, independent scientific study. Each student chooses a Disney animated film, narrows down a research topic, and gives a conference presentation on Pop-up Disney Day. Please note that there will be no classes on the narratives and animated films themselves; instead, classes deal with transferable skills such as writing and commenting on abstracts/proposals, as well as giving oral presentations. In addition, individual work is supervised by the teacher during the course.

The course is directed at students who have an interest in popular culture narratives and Disney animated films; who are interested in research and independent study; who are looking for a pro gradu topic; and who can manage and respect deadlines, because we will organise a Pop-up Disney Day with conference presentations at the end of the course.

Thematic areas of interest for oral presentations include, but are not limited to, the following areas of interest: death in Disney narratives; orphans and childhood; dark Disney narratives; Disney, diversity and multiculturalism; Disney and whiteness; queering Disney films; Disney and feminism; mobile Disney princesses; Disney romances; Disney villains; racism in Disney films; nature in Disney films; Disney animals; Disney spaces and places; Disney and child audiences; Disney childhoods; Disney, audience formation, and fandom.