Diversity in Disney Films ─ Critical Essays on Race, Ethnicity, Gender, Sexuality and Disability

Although its early films featured racial caricatures and exclusively Caucasian heroines, Disney has, in recent years, become more multicultural in its filmic fare and its image. From Aladdin and Pocohontas to the Asian American Russell boy in Up, from the first African-American princess in The Princess and the Frog to "Spanish-mode" Buzz Lightyear in Toy Story 3, Disney films have come to both mirror and influence our increasingly diverse society. This essay collection gathers recent scholarship on representations of diversity in Disney and Disney/Pixar films, exploring not only race and gender, but also newer areas of study, particularly sexuality/queer studies, masculinity studies and disability studies. Covering a wide array of films, from Disney's early days and "Golden Age" to the Eisner era and current fare, this compendium highlights the social impact of the entertainment giant and reveals its cultural significance in shaping our global citizenry.

Johnson Cheu is an assistant professor in the Department of Writing, Rhetoric and American Cultures at Michigan State University in East Lansing. He has published work in disability studies and popular culture, as well as poetry and creative essays.