Scholar to discuss race, disability, and the American Girl brand at USC Upstate- April 5th
March 22, 2018
Dr. Sami Schalk, assistant professor of gender and women’s studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, will visit the USC Upstate campus on Thursday, April 5 where she will present “Race, Disability, and the American Girl Brand.” The presentation takes place at 6:30 p.m. in the Olin B. Sansbury, Jr. Campus Life Center, Room, 309, 180 Gramling Drive, on the USC Upstate campus.
She will discuss how disability appears in the American Girl brand, from their contemporary and historical fiction books to their dolls and doll accessories. Schalk argues that while American Girl has the most representations of disability than any other major toy brand, their representations still rely on several ableist tropes. She discusses how American Girl has made strides in increasing diversity and explores how the brand can better incorporate disabled girls.
Schalk’s research focuses on disability, race, and gender in contemporary American literature and culture, especially African American and women’s texts. Her work has appeared in a variety of journals such as Journal of Literary and Cultural Disability Studies, Journal of Modern Literature, Journal of Popular Culture, Girlhood Studies, and African American Review. Schalk’s first book, “Bodyminds Reimagined: (Dis)ability, Race, and Gender in Black Women’s Speculative Fiction,” is forthcoming from Duke University Press in 2018.
According to Dr. Cassandra Jones, assistant professor of African-American studies and the director of the African-American Studies Program at USC Upstate, “USC Upstate students will benefit from Dr. Schalk’s visit by having exposure to a scholar whose research supports African American Studies, exploring race and gender from additional disciplinary perspectives, and opportunities to acquire leadership skills and to learn about the social history of and current issues facing African Americans in the U.S.”
For more information, contact Cassandra Jones at 864-503-5622 or [email protected].
About USC Upstate
The University of South Carolina Upstate is a regional, comprehensive university that offers more than 40 bachelor’s degree programs in the liberal arts and sciences, business administration, nursing, and teacher education, and master’s degrees in education, informatics, and nursing. These degrees help students to transition easily to careers in the Upstate region. USC Upstate is committed to fulfilling regional and state workforce needs and thus the university is a major engine of social and economic development. Comprised of a diverse and dynamic community of approximately 6,000 students from 26 states and 17 countries, USC Upstate is a wonderful blend of traditional and nontraditional students who reflect the Upstate’s rich international character. USC Upstate offers a balance of strengths that, when added up, results in a learning experience that is hard to match. The academic programs are accredited and highly ranked, with amazing research and internship opportunities for students. USC Upstate has its main campus in Spartanburg, the George Dean Johnson, Jr. College of Business and Economics and the UPSTATE Gallery on Main in downtown Spartanburg, a location in Greenville, and a growing number of programs online. The USC Upstate Spartans, which fields 17 varsity sports, compete on the NCAA Division I level as a member of the Atlantic Sun Conference. Nearly 30,000 alumni have earned degrees from USC Upstate and approximately 85 percent choose to remain in the Upstate region to build their lives and careers, making a significant impact of the region’s economy and quality of life. Learn more at www.uscupstate.edu.
