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Why the Magic Matters
Discovering Disney as a Laboratory for Learning
Why the Magic Matters
Discovering Disney as a Laboratory for Learning
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Description
As education, entertainment, or "edutainment" (as Walt called it), Disney offers its consumers and guests with a wealth of opportunities for learning. In Why the Magic Matters, top Disney scholars and teachers unpack what, why, and how Disney maintains its overwhelming cultural significance in the global entertainment industry. Broken into four parts, "Magic and Strategy," "Authenticity and Simulation," "Nostalgia and Innovation," and "Leisure and Labor," the book offers a framework that juxtaposes ideas found in Disney products, properties, and experiences. From art, film, and television history to Indigenous, disability, and religious studies, each chapter contextualizes Disney within a greater cultural landscape. Students, teachers, and fans will gain insights on what Disney can teach us about pop culture and fresh perspectives on why the magic really does matter.
Table of Contents
Len Testa
Introduction
Jill Peterfeso
Disney Dialectic Pairs: Theoretical Framework and Book Structure
The Editors
Section I: Magic and Strategy
Section Introduction: Magic and Strategy
Jill Peterfeso
Chapter 1: Disney's “Magical” Curriculum: Bibbity, Bobbity Boo!
Gabriel Huddleston, Blake Lentz, Nicole Weinberg
Chapter 2: A Private Mouse for Public Art
Cher Krause Knight
Chapter 3: To Infinity and Beyond: Understanding Data Science Through the Lens of Disney Data
Lucy D'Agostino McGowan
Chapter 4: Why and How Walt Disney World Makes You the Star of Its Story
Gary Kaskowitz
Section II: Authenticity and Simulation
Section Introduction: Authenticity and Simulation
Alexis T. Franzese
Chapter 5: From Magic to Memory: How the Physical Experiences of the Disney Parks Contribute to Historical Memory and Learning What it Means to Be an American
Bethanee Bemis
Chapter 6: True-Life Adventures: Walt Disney and the Modern Environmental Movement
Sarah Nilsen
Chapter 7: Urban NDNs and the House of Mouse: A Journey of Education and Self-Discovery
Lucy Buck
Chapter 8: Asian Disneyland, Local Community Reactions, and the Role of Cultural Spaces
Jenny Banh
Section III: Nostalgia and Innovation
Section Introduction: Nostalgia and Innovation
Jill Peterfeso
Chapter 9: Only Correct: How Disney Revises, Rethinks and Re-edits Their Own Creations
Bonnie Rudner
Chapter 10: Teaching Walt: Place-Based Learning and SHAPE-ing Walt's Legacy
Christopher W. Tremblay
Chapter 11: Theme Park America
Alex Hofmann
Chapter 12: Worldbuilding and Role-Playing Across Disney Production
William S. Chavez
Section IV: Leisure and Labor
Section Introduction: Leisure and Labor
Alexis T. Franzese
Chapter 13: Making “Happy” Happen: What Disney Teaches Us About the Hidden Costs and Labor of Leisure
Jacob Hayward and Alexis T. Franzese
Chapter 14: Disneyland: The Happiest Classroom on Earth
Jeffrey A. Barnes
Chapter 15: Wheelchairs, Magic Carpets, and a Community of Tomorrow: Constructing Disabled Utopia in the Disney Parks
Mason J. Shrader, Benjamin Shrader, Carol Mason Shrader
Takeaways
Contributors
Acknowledgements
Index
Product details
| Published | Sep 04 2025 |
|---|---|
| Format | Ebook (PDF) |
| Edition | 1st |
| Extent | 304 |
| ISBN | 9798765155349 |
| Imprint | Bloomsbury Academic |
| Illustrations | 2 bw photos, 6 line art |
| Publisher | Bloomsbury Publishing |
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