Abstract This paper discusses how Klaus Barbie, the infamous "Butcher of Lyons," was an American intelligence asset in the years directly after World War Two. It looks at how both historical documents and the United States government admit that Barbie was used as an informant and how they helped smuggle him and his family to Bolivia, where he escaped justice until 1983.
Outline:
Introduction
A Brief History of Klaus Barbie's Wartime Activities
Barbie's Work as an Informant for the Counter Intelligence Corps
Reasoning Behind the Use of Barbie as an Intelligence Asset
Barbie Becomes a Liability
The Decision to Protect Barbie Conclusion
From the Paper "Barbie's fate was the subject of contention between Region XII (the division running Barbie) and CIC headquarters. Headquarters wanted Barbie dropped as an informant; Region XII responded strongly with a case for his continued utilisation. They attacked the case against him by arguing that he was too skillful an interrogator to need to resort to violence. CIC headquarters dropped the matter. At the trial of Rene Hardy in 1950, Barbie's depositions were read into the record, making public for the first time that Barbie was in the US zone being protected by US authorities. His name appeared on the Search and Arrest list used by the German police in the American zone. "Suspending his activities, they nevertheless kept him on the payroll in order to keep him under control and under cover while a frantic debate went on as to his disposition." The CIC faced an unappetizing choice: turn Barbie over and risk the exposure of the CIC's organization and tactics to the French, which the CIC considered equivalent to turning him over to the Soviets, or getting rid of him. "
Abstract This paper examines the influence of the image of the Barbie doll on the female gender. The writer discusses Stacy Handler's (the granddaughter of the Barbie creator) struggles with weight, self-worth and social acceptance as a young female in society. It explains how many young girls have developed eating disorders while trying to emulate Barbie physically and how this has had many psychological repercussions. In its conclusion, the paper shows that until society is willing to comprehend the damage that it inflicts on children through these unrealistic expectations, the concept of Barbie as the "perfect" woman will continue to negatively impact the female gender.
From the Paper "The Barbie doll was introduced to the American public in 1959. The idea for the doll was conceived by Ruth Handler who, with her husband, founded the Mattel Toy Company ("Inventing"). Handler has toured Europe and found the German "Lilli" doll a possible appealing toy for young girls. However, the "Lilli" doll was considered to be too risque' for the young American girl and Handler set about making a doll that would embody the American ideal of femininity. Barbie as a housewife, Barbie as a fashion icon and Barbie as a teenage tennis player were just a few of Handler's visions ("Inventing"). With the assistance of a clothing designer Handler set about creating fashions for the Barbie doll and it was not until these fashions began to catch the eye of parents that the Barbie began to gain in popularity."
Abstract This essay is comparing the masculinity and femininity of two female figures Lara Croft and Barbie, describing the two figurines in detail. The author provides background information how each figure was created and their proposed purposes and how their images change through the years. The differences all touch on the fact that Lara is masculine and Barbie is feminine. The author concludes with decision that present day society finds a masculine female more appealing than a feminine woman.
From the Paper "Barbie and Lara are both beautiful and have great figures, but Lara still gains the attention. It is Lara's attitude, the way she is portrayed as a person. Lara has those masculine characteristics that are more appealing in today's society than a weak, panicky female. Lara Croft can take care of herself. Males are attracted to this because Lara is strong, independent, and beautiful. A woman that does not need protection from a male figure is a wonderful dream for men. Females are attracted to Lara because she can hold her own, she is strong and independent, no help needed from a male partner."
Abstract In this article, the writer critically reviews research published by H. Dittmar, E. Halliwell, and S. Ive on the effects Barbie has on the body image of five- to eight-year-old girls. This paper summarizes key findings, identifies strengths and weaknesses of the research, assesses the quality of the research and suggests areas for additional future research. The writer concludes that Barbie does have a negative impact on the body image of young girls, 5 1/2 - 6 1/2 and 6 1/2 -7 1/2 years old. However, the writer maintains that by the time girls are 7 1/2 to 8 1/2 these same negative impacts are more influenced by size-16 Emme. The writer concludes that there are a lot of societal influences other than the dolls that are causing negative body images in young girls.
From the Paper "The results of the study were different for different ages, 5 1/2 - 6 1/2 , 6 1/2 -7 1/2 and 7 1/2 -8 1/2, revealing differences in the way girls though they looked and the way they wanted to look after seeing certain images. For example, the youngest group, age 5 1/2 to 6 1/2, shown the Barbie picture books wished they were thinner and disliked their bodies more than girls of the same age who viewed other images. These results were even more pronounced for girls 6 1/2 to 7 1/2. Further, this age group desired more extreme thinness as adults than girls the same age who viewed images other than Barbie and the girls 5 1/2 - 6 1/2 who had also viewed Barbie pictures. The 7 1/2 - 8 1/2 age group were affected by the Emme images and not the Barbie images. The girls who viewed Emme wanted a thinner body shape for the adult figure than girls viewing other images."
Abstract In this article, the writer analyzes the poem "Barbie Doll". The writer argues that in this poem, the poet is trying to show that the union of idealized notions of female appearance and female self-acceptance of appearance can never meet.
From the Paper "Marge Piercy's poem 'Barbie Doll' is written in free verse and represents the author's attack on patriarchal construction of idealized female appearance. In the poem, the speaker describes her life as a child, one that was fine, until she learned at puberty she was perceived as having a great big nose and fat legs. Only after she has died from cutting off her nose and legs, do others perceive the speaker as being pretty. In this poem Piercy is trying to ... "
Abstract The paper explores how, in new markets, consumers generate a new commodity meaning. This transformation or process by which foreign goods are assigned novel meanings and uses in diverse cultural settings has been coined "creolization." This essay will identify examples of the "creolization" of Barbie as indicators of how cultures are resisting and negotiating globalization.
From the Paper "As stated by John Gray in "False Dawn: The Delusions of Global Capitalism," globalization is not "a trend towards homogeneity" but rather a system that is dependent on "differences between localities, nations and regions" that create demand for something from somewhere else (57). However, what meaning different regions and cultures apply to goods depends on their own culture. While consumer goods that cross cultural boundaries do not necessarily take on the intentions of their producers or the culture in which they were produced, their meaning as imposed by local cultures do reflect shifts in society."
Abstract The paper discusses Mattel Corporation's significant flexibility over the years to meet market demand, notably with the introduction of "My Scene" Barbies that were designed to be more reflective of diversity and true body shape. The paper considers the contentions of many that these dolls have inappropriate dress, an inappropriate figure and are only a superficial representation of multiculturalism. The paper illustrates how the brand will continue to be a source of popular controversy, despite these attempts to be inclusive with culture and body image realism.
From the Paper "Mattel Corporation has been the owner of the Barbie brand and exclusive marketer of said brand for its entire existence, and in fact the original Barbie creator was also the creator of the Mattel corporation. The Barbie brand has gone through only a limited number of changes over the many years, but recently the Mattel company has introduced a new line of Barbie dolls and accessories that are said to be more modern reflections of the doll. The new Barbie dolls are known as "My Scene" Barbies, and they are marketed toward tween girls (girls ages 7-12) and anyone who has an interest in obtaining dolls that are more reflective of diversity."
Abstract This paper discusses Mattel's international marketing strategy and asserts that, in order to capture new, less affluent markets, Mattel should reconsider price structures which have been threatening sales in particular areas. The paper shows how Mattel is marketing African-American, Hispanic and Asian Barbie dolls and is employing a diversification strategy in order to ensure global market dominance in Central Europe, the Middle East, South America, India and Japan. The paper emphasizes that in order to continue their growth, Mattel will have to reorganize price structures in poor nations.
From the Paper "Barbie is one of the most common toys in all of the United States. But, as she began to go global, Mattel was forced to change its strategy and try new ways to sell the famous doll in brand new worldwide markets. In its attempt to capture these new markets, Mattel thought global but began to act local, saw cultural difficulties with the American version of the doll, while at the same time continuing Barbie's reign as a complete American icon. However, in order to further capture new, less affluent markets, Mattel should reconsider price structures which have been threatening sales in particular areas."
Abstract This paper discusses the strategies that Mattel is using to gain a competitive advantage for their line of Barbie dolls over other company's similar products such as the Bratz dolls. The paper analyzes Mattels' decision to eliminate the Ken doll in order to put a new face on Barbie, the existing rivalry between competitors in the same market, and the threat of new competitors entering the market. The paper also looks at the bargaining power of both suppliers and buyers and concludes that only if Mattel can convince young girls that Barbie is special and remains interesting and relevant to girl's lives today can Barbie survive into the 21st century.
Outline:
Intensity of Rivalry Among Existing Competitors
Threat of Entry by New Competitors
Pressure from Substitute Products
Bargaining Power of Suppliers
Bargaining Power of Buyers
From the Paper "According to Mattel's Feb 12, 2004 press release "The Break-Up of the Millennium for the 'Doll' of a Couple," after more than 43 years together, Barbie and Ken, have decided to spend some "quality" time apart. Despite the fact that anecdotal evidence suggests that Ken is a less than desirable addition to the Barbie family, often scratched off Christmas lists to make room for the purchase of additional dream house furniture and shunned by girls who would rather 'be' Barbie during playtime, the press release presents the alliance between the doll couple as a legendary romance. However, it also admits that Barbie has not always been faithful, and while Ken has been Barbie's sweetheart and supporter, "Barbie has befriended some of the world's most famous celebrities, from popular boy bands to super secret agent spies," and now she looks forward to life as a independent young woman. Barbie is now evolving into a "Cali Girl," a more carefree girl and returning to her Malibu roots."
Abstract This paper provides an explanation of the history behind the development of the Barbie doll. It discusses how, from the beginnning, the doll was controversial and how it has been ever since. This paper argues that the Barbie culture is harmful not only to young women and girls, but also to young men. It states that women are not Barbie dolls, nor should they be.
From the Paper "The year: 1991. The occasion: My eighth birthday. My house was full of giggling third grade girls, and the pile of gifts was looming high near the cake. My parents eyed the mountain warily, knowing full well what the majority of the rectangular 13-inch boxes contained. They were inevitable gifts at that age. In fact, they were expected gifts at that age. I tore into them one by one, the bright bubble gum pink flooding my senses, as Barbie reared her perfectly coiffed head. For a female child in America, or a female child, period, Barbie is an unavoidable influence on development, both physically and mentally. I was to become a statistic?by the year 1996, it was reported that 99 percent of girls between ages eight and ten had at least one Barbie, while the average girl had eight (Rogers 13). Though the Barbie doll was created with good intentions, and though proponents today continue to fight for her rights, today Barbie does more harm than good for her followers."
Abstract This paper shows how media images affect women and influences them to play a part in the Barbie Doll image. It analyzes the different effects caused by those media images and the writer concludes that until the media stops sending these messages women will continue to be affected.
From the Paper "With the new obsessions of weight loss, plastic surgery, and Hollywood stars, women believe they are not normal unless they fit into the so-called "Barbie Doll" image. Young girls are feed body images when they pick up their first Barbie-doll. Yet, research as found that the Barbie-doll would not be able to live if she was human. Her body would be too tapered to hold less than a half of a liver and her back would be too weak to support weight the her upper body (Gerber, 2). No longer do some women base their self-worth on personality, morals, or values but having an unblemished body with designer clothing that are wore by celebrities. Women are reading magazines and watching television, which project the image of rock-hard abs, long skinny legs, and huge breast. The media influences these unattainable images for women through model ads, television commercials, and by boosting Hollywood stars as examples of how women should look. The media influences the way women consume products from the market and her mental well being also."
Abstract This paper explains that the many changes such as the fall of the Soviet Union, the reunification of Germany and many other events of the decade have left the world spinning, the fin de siecle (or "end of century") phenomenon. The author points out that Barbie's have made a comeback, having been transformed from her previous cultural role as a candy stripper and housewife in the sixties to become "Astronaut Barbie" and "Dr. Barbie," reflecting that women have becoming an increasing part of the work force across the country in every type of career. The paper relates that even the traditional school is changing with the growing popularity of the charter schools, a concept in which a public school operates under a special contract, a charter, arranged between a group of school organizers and a sponsor, which sets forth how the school will be run, what will be taught and how success will be measured, giving it some freedom from the traditional school.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Culture and Thought in the 1990s
Entertainment
Theater
Hobbies
Fads
Schools
Science and Technology
Telecommunications
Tools
Economics
Business
Manufactured Items
World Events
End of the Cold War
Persian Gulf War
Reunification of Germany
Indian/Pakistani Nuclear Tests
International Food Production
Brief Cultural Observations Through the Nineties
Conclusion
From the Paper "Tools. While an increasing number of Americans purchasing hand and power tools during the 1990s as Black & Decker and other consumer tool manufacturers targeted niche audiences with home appliances and tools, clearly the most powerful tool of the 1990s must be the personal computer. According to the literature, by 1990 some personal computers had become small enough to be completely portable; they included laptop computers, which could rest in one's lap; notebook computers, which were about the size of a notebook; and pocket, or palm-sized, computers, which could be held in one's hand. At the high end of the PC market, multimedia personal computers equipped with CD-ROM players and digital sound systems allowed users to handle animated images and sound (in addition to text and still images) that were stored on high-capacity CD-ROMs."
Tags: computer, internet, globalization, china, century
Abstract Research paper on the effects of advertisements on children. The author examines why and how advertisements target children and how children are affected psychologically.
From the Paper "?Prior to attending kindergarten, the average child will see 5,000 hours of television. By the time most children graduate from high school, they will have watched an estimated 22,000 hours of TV,? (Marconi, 56). During these thousands of hours, the children view commercial after commercial and it has been shown that many of these commercials are targeted towards children. This abundant exposure to commercials has raised many concerns about how these advertisements affect children psychologically. Many people believe that children are being manipulated by advertisements, which affects the way the children think and live."
Completed research on marketing products (Barbie Dolls and cereals) to children six to 16 years old, survey guidelines, questionnaire for adults and its implications.
2,250 words (approx. 9 pages), 10 sources, 1999, $ 79.95
From the Paper "MARKETING TO CHILDREN: AN INVESTIGATION OF CONFLICTING VALUES
Summary
An exploratory investigation was conducted to assess several issues associated with the targeting by marketing organizations of the children's market segment. A small (20 subjects) convenience sample of parents of children from six-to-16 years old were administered a survey questionnaire to develop the data required to investigate the following research question: "What approaches and practices can be implemented by marketing organizations in successfully targeting the children's market segment that likely will generate the lowest levels of opposition from parents? The general findings of the investigation of the research question were that (1) a majority of parents do not in principle object to advertising and ..."
Abstract The paper shows that gender roles are perpetuated and learned through gender socialization and that toys are considered a type of gender socializing agent. The paper argues that social formation of gender by the means of toys is detrimental to the whole equity of society, because it reinforces gender differentiation and sexism. The paper gives several examples of toys which promote gender-specific messages such as baby dolls and play make-up for little girls. Finally, the paper looks at ways to reverse gender stereotyping in our society and shows how several toy manufactures are shedding the gender stereotypes on their products.
From the Paper "Thus, gender distinctions imposed by societal culture and framework define the behaviors of male and female individuals, which are arranged in a pattern. Women cannot do the things prescribed for men, and vice versa. Hence, we observe that toys are a form of gender socialization, which in turn, transmits the gender roles. In turn, gender roles contribute to cultural and social framework, which are imposed upon newborns through the socializing agents, such as toys. This forms a cycle that explains how gender role socialization reflects and constitutes the framework of the American society."
