NotesFAQContact Us
Collection
Advanced
Search Tips
Back to results
Peer reviewed Peer reviewed
Direct linkDirect link
ERIC Number: EJ1346257
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2022-Sep
Pages: 27
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1871-1502
EISSN: EISSN-1871-1510
New Geography for Resistance: The Engagement of Diversity in "Doc McStuffins" as an Out-of-School STEM Setting
Mark, Sheron L.
Cultural Studies of Science Education, v17 n3 p955-981 Sep 2022
The animated children's television show, "Doc McStuffins," may serve as an out-of-school multicultural STEM education platform for its young television audience. The lead character, as well as the supporting cast of toy characters, represents a variety of racial, ethnic, and cultural identities while modeling medicine and healthcare practices. A critical race sociological perspective recognizes that, in the U.S., racism and social stratification are endemic and this practice of culturally characterizing the toys is situated within a larger historical and sociopolitical context where different cultures, identities, and communities experience differences in power, privilege, and oppression. At times, toys were representative of communities that have historically endured oppression, e.g. communities of color, immigrant communities, and communities with low-income status. Furthermore, in the show, the doctor diagnoses and responds to medical challenges faced by the toy characters and these medical challenges were, at times, caused or exacerbated by the behavior or disposition of some of the toys themselves. Thus, toys were also variably characterized as exhibiting problematic healthcare behavior, while some toys exhibited positive healthcare behavior. Healthcare behavior was similarly located within an ideological context which has associated communities of color, especially those with low-income status, with irresponsible, self-destructive behavior and dependency, as well as an overburdened welfare state. Of concern was the intersection, especially disproportionately, of problematic healthcare behavior and toys representative of communities that have endured these and other related negative characterizations. Through counter-storytelling, the dominant narrative of the television show foregrounded in diversity is complicated to trace adaptive and resilient racial ideologies into new settings and structures. The ideological underpinnings and limitations of diversity itself in our current sociopolitical context are utilized to further examine the phenomenon within the television show.
Springer. Available from: Springer Nature. One New York Plaza, Suite 4600, New York, NY 10004. Tel: 800-777-4643; Tel: 212-460-1500; Fax: 212-460-1700; e-mail: customerservice@springernature.com; Web site: https://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2123/
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A