ETHNIC
STEREOTYPING
IN DISNEY
MOVIES
English B Extended Essay
Research Question: How does the portrayal of “person of color” in
Disney movies contribute to ethnic stereotyping in American society?
Candidate Number: (….
Word Count: (…
,Table of Contents
Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 2
The Lion King ........................................................................................................................ 4
The portrayal of villains in The Lion King ..................................................................................... 4
Linguistic stereotyping fostered by the film The Lion King............................................................ 4
The Lion King’s hierarchy of accents ............................................................................................. 5
The portrayal of African culture in The Lion King ........................................................................ 6
Aladdin ................................................................................................................................... 7
The portrayal of Arab world in opening song Arabian nights ........................................................ 7
Impact of negative stereotypes on children .................................................................................... 8
Orientalism in Aladdin.................................................................................................................... 9
Comparison of portrayal of people of colour in the lion king and Aladdin ............................ 10
The impact of inadequate portrayal of “people of colour “in Disney films on ethnic
stereotyping in American society ........................................................................................... 10
Conclusion ........................................................................................................................... 13
Bibliography ......................................................................................................................... 15
1
, Introduction
Various studies have shown that media coverage such as television, social media, news
articles, and movies greatly impact the public by expanding their knowledge and understanding.
Therefore, the media itself plays a role in shaping opinions. In addition to that, the media can be
argued to be a factor influencing ethnic stereotyping as many people tend to formulate ideas about
a certain race from how they are portrayed in the media. Furthermore, the film industry has been
shaping our beliefs and values, both positively and negatively for decades. With that, some movies
resonate with people of all ages, races and cultures which is beneficial in many aspects such as:
learning a new culture, experiencing different perspectives, and opening our eyes to a whole new
world. However, many movies portray stereotypes that reflect common prejudices. Researchers
have found that prolonged television exposure predicts a decrease in self-esteem for all girls and
African American boys, but an increase in self-esteem for Caucasian boys. The effect could be due
to the heroes in the movies being cast by a white male most of the time while subordinating other
racial groups as villains or sidekicks1. Furthermore, racial images picked as entertainment may
play a role in shaping the opinions of the audience, which may lead to ethnic stereotyping in
American society.
The first three years of life are the most significant period of a child’s development,
especially for the brain which develops faster than any other part of the body. During this time, a
child’s brain is more receptive to positive influences and more vulnerable to negative ones 2 .
1
(Yuen, How racial stereotypes in popular media affect people - and what Hollywood can do to become more
inclusive)
2
(Infants, toddlers and television)
2
STEREOTYPING
IN DISNEY
MOVIES
English B Extended Essay
Research Question: How does the portrayal of “person of color” in
Disney movies contribute to ethnic stereotyping in American society?
Candidate Number: (….
Word Count: (…
,Table of Contents
Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 2
The Lion King ........................................................................................................................ 4
The portrayal of villains in The Lion King ..................................................................................... 4
Linguistic stereotyping fostered by the film The Lion King............................................................ 4
The Lion King’s hierarchy of accents ............................................................................................. 5
The portrayal of African culture in The Lion King ........................................................................ 6
Aladdin ................................................................................................................................... 7
The portrayal of Arab world in opening song Arabian nights ........................................................ 7
Impact of negative stereotypes on children .................................................................................... 8
Orientalism in Aladdin.................................................................................................................... 9
Comparison of portrayal of people of colour in the lion king and Aladdin ............................ 10
The impact of inadequate portrayal of “people of colour “in Disney films on ethnic
stereotyping in American society ........................................................................................... 10
Conclusion ........................................................................................................................... 13
Bibliography ......................................................................................................................... 15
1
, Introduction
Various studies have shown that media coverage such as television, social media, news
articles, and movies greatly impact the public by expanding their knowledge and understanding.
Therefore, the media itself plays a role in shaping opinions. In addition to that, the media can be
argued to be a factor influencing ethnic stereotyping as many people tend to formulate ideas about
a certain race from how they are portrayed in the media. Furthermore, the film industry has been
shaping our beliefs and values, both positively and negatively for decades. With that, some movies
resonate with people of all ages, races and cultures which is beneficial in many aspects such as:
learning a new culture, experiencing different perspectives, and opening our eyes to a whole new
world. However, many movies portray stereotypes that reflect common prejudices. Researchers
have found that prolonged television exposure predicts a decrease in self-esteem for all girls and
African American boys, but an increase in self-esteem for Caucasian boys. The effect could be due
to the heroes in the movies being cast by a white male most of the time while subordinating other
racial groups as villains or sidekicks1. Furthermore, racial images picked as entertainment may
play a role in shaping the opinions of the audience, which may lead to ethnic stereotyping in
American society.
The first three years of life are the most significant period of a child’s development,
especially for the brain which develops faster than any other part of the body. During this time, a
child’s brain is more receptive to positive influences and more vulnerable to negative ones 2 .
1
(Yuen, How racial stereotypes in popular media affect people - and what Hollywood can do to become more
inclusive)
2
(Infants, toddlers and television)
2
