I have long been a supporter of academic research focusing on Disney history and culture. And I have wanted to see that movement spread, allowing interested parties to actively participate. That hope has become real with the International Journal of Disney Studies, as Disney has gone academic!
The opening essay of the volume, “Welcome to the International Journal of Disney Studies” by Robyn Muir and Rebecca Rowe outlines the goals of this new journal. The editorial board in 2022, came to the realization that the academic study of Disney related topics was growing, but there was no one home for the content being developed. This led to the creation of a new journal, the International Journal of Disney Studies which intends to provide an interdisciplinary approach to supporting and publishing Disney related research. The disciplines covered in the first issues include gender studies, history, architecture, politics with the journal itself being able to publish studies from any academic specialty with a Disney tone, opinion pieces and commentaries, book reviews, and other essays of interest to scholars. In this first volume, “Revisiting Disney’s The Living Desert: A documentary or a wildlife fable filmed in a mythical desert?” by Susan E. Swanberg and the “Making history at Disney Springs: Florida’s past as themed tourism” by F. Evan Nooe provides the feeling of a historical survey and topics that Disney fans may find in other publications like the Hyperion Historical Alliance Annual. But essays like “We’re not quite there yet…but we will be’: Identifying shifts in the Walt Disney Company’s LGBTQ+ representation” by Matt Weaver and “Conservatives watch cartoons: The Rise of Disney, the right and cultural criticism in the 1990s” by Alex Pinelli discuss societal trends and issues which are generally not found in the history and culture focused Disney fan press. Overall the studies, commentaries, and book reviews in this first volume eclipse a wide variety of topics, including ones that Disney fan projects may not typically consider, or consider with a level of scrutiny such as peer review that elevates the discussion and the impact of Disney content on society.
Currently, this journal is free online. The journal is bringing peer reviewed scholarship to academics and Disney fans at a low entry cost. Which, in a world where everything seems to cost more and more I believe is great. It's scholarship for everyone, which is great as it makes it easy for students and general readers to access the publication. Additionally, as one looks at the list of contributors and editors, this is truly an international effort. One that I hope to continue to support.
And as one goes down the academic Disney rabbit hole, one will discover this is part of DISNET, The Disney, Culture, and Society Research Network. Along with this new journal, the Network also sponsors academic conferences, supports book launches, fosters writing groups and mentoring, and many other professional academic efforts. It seems that Disney as a scholarly pursuit now has the foundation to claim a professional status.
I read my first article on a tablet. And I hated it! Formatting for me, including spacing and indents, was really off on my interface. For my second article, I jumped to a PDF format for reading and it was a much more friendly experience. The PDFs for me are the best read, and they are also really easy to download in that format.
International Journal of Disney Studies issue 1 provides a forum for academic studies, scholarly commentary and book reviews related to Disney content. The effort is academically driven with a large editorial board supported by scholars from around the globe. The essays found in this volume cover a large number of topics from the history of Disney Springs, to friendship in the Toy Story franchise, to gender representation, and so many more. Most of all, the collection provides a step forward to creating professional academic interdisciplinary studies of the Walt Disney Company and its affiliated topics.
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