Deconstructing Dolls

In recent decades, emerging scholarship in the field of girlhood studies has led to a particular interest in dolls as sources of documentary evidence. Deconstructing Dolls pushes the boundaries of doll studies by expanding the definition of dolls, ages of doll players, sites of play, research methods, and application of theory. By utilizing a variety of new approaches, this collected volume seeks to understand the historical and contemporary significance of dolls and girlhood play, particularly as they relate to social meanings in the lives of girls and young women across race, age, time, and culture.

This book investigates a paradox of creative yet scripted play—how LEGO invites players to build ‘freely’ with and within its highly structured, ideologically-laden toy system. First, this book considers theories and methods for deconstructing LEGO as a medium of bricolage, the creative reassembly of already-significant elements. Then, it pieces together readings of numerous LEGO sets, advertisements, videogames, films, and other media that show how LEGO constructs five ideologies of play: construction play, dramatic play, digital play, transmedia play, and attachment play. From suburban traffic patterns to architectural croissants, from feminized mini-doll bodies to toys-to-life stories, from virtual construction to playful fan creations, this book explores how the LEGO medium conveys ideological messages—not by transmitting clear statements but by providing implicit instructions for how to reassemble meanings it had all along.

Taking a personal approach to the subject matter, Timothy Gray reads criticism and listens to music as though rock 'n' roll not only explains American culture, but also shores up his life. In It's Just the Normal Noises, Gray examines a wide array of writing about roots music from the 1960s to the 2000s. In addition to chapters on the genre-defining work of Peter Guralnick and Greil Marcus, he explores the influential writings of Grant Alden and Peter Blackstock, the editors of No Depression magazine, and the writers who contributed to its pages, Bill Friskicks-Warren, Ed Ward, David Cantwell, and Allison Stewart among them. A host of memoirists and novelists, from Patti Smith and Ann Powers to Eleanor Henderson and Dana Spiotta, shed light on the social effects and personal attachments of the music's many manifestations, from punk to alt country to hardcore.

This book provides a critical deconstruction of the human development framework promoted by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) since 1990. Taking the Human Development Reports of the UNDP as its starting point for reflection, this book investigates the construction of this framework as well as its political function since the end of the Cold War. The book argues that the UNDP’s discourse on development relies on essentialist philosophical, cultural, and political assumptions dating back to the 19th century and concludes that these assumptions – also present in the MDGs and SDGs – impede a full grasp of the complex and multi-layered global problems of the current world. Whilst development critiques traditionally relied on liberal, Marxist or Foucauldian theoretical frameworks and focused on epistemological or political economy issues, this book draws on the post-foundational and post-structuralist work of Ernesto Laclau and Jacques Derrida and proposes an ontological and relational reading of development discourses that both complements and further develops the insights of previous critiques. This book is key reading for advanced students and researchers of Critical Development Studies, Political Science, the UN, and Sustainable Development.

Hysteria is alive and well in our present time and is apparently spreading contagiously: especially the second decade of the twenty-first century has displayed an ever-increasing interest in the term. A quick Google search opens the gates to sheer endless swathes of discussions on hysteria, covering almost every aspect of public discourses. The arts—as it is often in such cases—seem conspicuously involved in and engaged with this hysterical discourse. Surprisingly, while the strong academic interest in hysteria throughout the twentieth century and most prominently at the turn of the century is well known and much discussed, the study of how these discourses have continued well into twenty-first-century art practices, is largely pressing on a blind spot. It is the aim of this volume to illustrate how hysteria was already well established within the arts alongside and at times even separately from the much-covered medical studies, and reveal how those current artistic practices very much continue a century spanning cross-fertilization between hysteria and the arts.

"... Provides a unique window into the lives of the women who collect and love these dolls"--P. [4] of cover.

Deconstruction is hard! Bad views of God and harmful experiences lead many of us to deconstruct. But we’re right to run from the nonsense we’ve been taught and from those who hurt us. God After Deconstruction will not be welcomed by traditionalists. It’s not a book for people who want the status quo or who think conventional theology works. It isn’t for people who just want to tweak a bit what they’ve been taught. Thomas Jay Oord and Tripp Fuller offer an open and relational vision of God. This vision makes sense; it fits our experience; it’s livable. The open and relational view aligns with our deep intuitions about love and freedom. God After Deconstruction is for those deconstructing and those wanting help after deconstruction. It’s for people in the fire and those with scars. God After Deconstruction is an adventure for lovers in tumultuous times! Buy this book. Six-Word Endorsements for God After Deconstruction “When everything goes, only God remains.” -- Simon Cross, chair of the Progressive Christianity Network (Britain) "Helpful companion on your deconstruction journey.” -- EDJ, author of Deconstructing Religious Sexual Trauma: A Memoir “A faith beyond deconstruction is possible.” -- Kathy Escobar, author of Faith Shift and Practicing “A relational way to think about purpose.” -- Jonathan J. Foster, author of indigo: the color of grief "This is a really great book." -- Keith Giles, author of the 7-part "Jesus Un" book series“ A God-centric approach to deconstruction.” -- David Hayward, aka NakedPastor “A compassionate primer on our deconstruction.” -- Angela Herrington, author of Deconstructing Your Faith Without Losing Yourself “A thoughtful third way - highly recommended.” -- Olivia Jackson, author of (Un)Certain “Life-giving for doubters, deconstructors, wonderers.” -- Mark Karris, author of The Diabolical Trinity “Powerful, essential, required reading for everyone.” -- Grace Ji-Sun Kim, Madang Podcast and author of Invisible “Adventure guide to life after deconstruction.” -- Brian D. McLaren, author of Do I Stay Christian? "I've always believed in this God!" -- Mason Mennenga, A People's Theology podcast "A deconstruction journey worth taking!" -- Sherri Pallas, author of We Have Ruined God "An exvangelical deconstruction guide to God." -- Jim Palmer, author of Inner Anarchy “A haven for the hard questions.” -- Elizabeth Petters, the Deconstructing Mamas podcast “Faces the hard questions without blinking.” -- Janet Kellogg Ray, The God of Monkey Science “The God you need right now!” -- Gary Alan Taylor, the Sophia Society “Everyone deconstructing should read this book.” -- Tim Whitaker, creator of The New Evangelicals “The God of Love always triumphs!” -- John Williamson, The Deconstructionists Podcast

This book is about morphogenesis as the genesis of forms. It is not restricted to plants growing from seed or animals developing from an embryo (although these do supply the most abundant examples) but also addresses kindred processes, from inorganic to social to biomorphic technology. It is about our morphogenetic universe: unplanned, unfair and frustratingly complicated but benevolent in allowing us to emerge, survive, and inquire into its laws.