Description
Book SynopsisBanet-Weiser (2004) marked the debut of Clarissa Explains it All in 1991 as a crucial turning point for recognition of girls as important empowered subjects in the social world. The current study of tweencoms focuses on the different ways character tropes are portrayed in media targeted to 8-12 year olds, particularly female characters, over the last 25 years. The focus is limited to the cable giants Disney Channel and Nickelodeon because of their popularity and high concentration of original programming targeted to tweens that airs nearly round-the-clock. This book employs a thematic analysis approach, similar to the one adopted by Riggs (2011) in his identification of the ways in which particular groups of characters are represented and the implications such representations might have for viewers. It incorporates cultivation theory (Gerbner 1998), which is based on media consumption's influence on distorted perceptions of reality, and social cognitive theory (Bandura 1986), which exp
Trade ReviewPatrice A. Oppliger’s Tweencom Girls: Gender and Adolescence in Disney and Nickelodeon Sitcoms offers an insightful and vivid exploration of characters and themes found in popular tween comedies. Such an in-depth look at the tweencom genre is long overdue. The arguments are rich, and the examples are abundant and deep. Opplinger’s read of female stereotypes and girl power stretches beyond princess culture and provides fresh constructions of key tropes and themes. -- Nancy Jennings, University of Cincinnati
Table of ContentsPart I: Tropes 1. Main Girls 2. Mean Girls 3. Cheerleaders 4. Targets 5. Adults Part II: Themes 6. Popularity 7. Friendships 8. Relational Aggression and Teasing 9. Physical Aggression 10. Girl Power
