The subject of my research is the culture of toys. The main themes I will be exploring are the cultural relevance of toys and the visual culture of toys.
Research questions I may explore could be:
- What do toys reflect about their respective cultures? How do toys become signifiers of our cultural values?
- How has the commercialization of toys changed their purpose? Does the cost of toys restrict certain demographics from access to skills taught by toys?
- When did toys shift from being homemade entertainment items to mass-produced educational items? What effect has this had on our understanding of toys?
- What role do second-hand and donated toys have in the overall culture of toys? Does the value or quality of a toy affect its effectiveness?
My working thesis statement is as follows:
The culture within toys is telling of our collective cultures and values, but the culture of toys exposes who is allowed the skills taught by toys.
Visual Archive:
“Altar; Toy | British Museum”. The British Museum Digital Collection. Accessed February 15, 2021. https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/E_Am1978-15-631
“Baby rattle; toy | British Museum”. The British Museum Digital Collection. Accessed February 15, 2021. https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/G_1847-1109-7
“Box | Toy Ship: Ship Shape Happy Meal: Grimace Tubby Tugger – Mcdonald’s Corp. – Google Arts & Culture”. Accessed February 15, 2021. Google Arts & Culture. https://artsandculture.google.com/u/0/asset/box-toy-ship-ship-shape-happy-meal-grimace-tubby-tugger-mcdonald-s-corp/UgFiEqrlsKLjvA?hl=en.
“Cornell Capa – Google Arts & Culture”. Accessed February 15, 2021. Google Arts & Culture. https://artsandculture.google.com/u/0/asset/fQF5ecoJzPFsBw.
“Figurine; base; toy | British Museum”. The British Museum Digital Collection. Accessed February 15, 2021. https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/E_Am1989-12-158-a-b
“Figure; toy (?)” | British Museum”. The British Museum Digital Collection. Accessed February 15, 2021. https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/A_As1986-20-119
“Figure; toy” | British Museum”. The British Museum Digital Collection. Accessed February 15, 2021. https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/E_Am1986-07-57-c
“Figurine; toy | British Museum”. The British Museum Digital Collection. Accessed February 15, 2021. https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/E_Am1978-15-793-a
“Figure; model; toy | British Museum”. The British Museum Digital Collection. Accessed February 15, 2021. https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/A_As1906-1012-3
“Girl With Doll – Rosa Rolanda – Google Arts & Culture”. Accessed February 15, 2021. Google Arts & Culture. https://artsandculture.google.com/u/0/asset/girl-with-doll-rosa-rolanda/DQFWRo9hv0iIWQ?hl=en.
“Kanga, Winnie-the-Pooh, Piglet, Eeyore, and Tigger” New York Public Library Digital Collections. Accessed February 15, 2021. https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/407326c0-0a31-0134-f2cf-00505686a51c
“Mask; Toy | British Museum”. The British Museum Digital Collection. Accessed February 15, 2021. https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/A_As1986-20-96.
“Pull Toy: Slinky Dog – James Industries, Inc. – Google Arts & Culture”. Accessed February 15, 2021. Google Arts & Culture. https://artsandculture.google.com/u/0/asset/pull-toy-slinky-dog-james-industries-inc/zAE9yMmtzSxdrg?hl=en
“School Bus | Pull Toy: Fisher-Price School Bus – Fisher-Price Toys – Google Arts & Culture”. Accessed February 15, 2021. Google Arts & Culture. https://artsandculture.google.com/u/0/asset/school-bus-pull-toy-fisher-price-school-bus-fisher-price-toys/HwFMDIiqqYWwRA?hl=en
“Ted Thai – Google Arts & Culture”. Accessed February 15, 2021. Google Arts & Culture. https://artsandculture.google.com/u/0/asset/lAEDLTnit00Ndw?hl=en
“Toy, Space Ship, Buck Rogers, Rocket Police Patrol Ship – Google Arts & Culture”. Accessed February 15, 2021. Google Arts & Culture. https://artsandculture.google.com/u/0/asset/toy-space-ship-buck-rogers-rocket-police-patrol-ship/HwGMw3CUu7mleg?hl=en.
Bibliography
Augustyn, Frederick J. 2004. Dictionary of Toys and Games in American Popular Culture New York : Haworth Reference Press.
Bak, Meredith A. 2020. Playful Visions : Optical Toys and the Emergence of Children’s Media Culture Cambridge, Massachusetts : The MIT Press.
Eldred, Megan. 2017. “Turning Toys into Tools.” Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science); Science 355 (6331): 1278. doi:10.1126/science.355.6331.1278-b.
Scott, Sharon M. 2010. Toys and American Culture : An Encyclopedia. Santa Barbara, Calif.: Santa Barbara, Calif. : Greenwood.
Weisgram, Erica S. and Lisa M. Dinella. 2018. Gender Typing of Children’s Toys : How Early Play Experiences Impact Development. First Edition. ed. Washington, DC : American Psychological Association.