Publications

Books

An American Icon in Puerto Rico: Barbie, Girlhood, and Colonialism at Play (2022)

Emily Aguiló-Pérez (Author)

An American Icon in Puerto Rico offers a captivating study of that iconic influence by focusing on a group of multigenerational Puerto Rican women and girls. Through personal narratives and insights, author Emily R. Aguiló-Pérez unveils the emotional attachment that these women and girls have formed with the doll during their formative years. This connection serves as a powerful lens to explore the intricate relationships girls have with their Barbie dolls and the complex role Barbie plays in shaping their identities.

“Aguiló-Pérez sheds light on the complex and multifaceted ways in which Barbie has influenced notions of girlhood, race, and identity in Puerto Rican society”

 – Keyla Gonzalez Diaz for Women’s Studies

“Aguiló-Pérez’s study exposes how deeply entrenched the effect of psychological colonialism can be in identity formation and national girlhood”

– Ritwika Roy for Research on Diversity in Youth Literature

Barbie in the Media: The Transmedia Presence of Mattel’s Celebrity Doll (2025)

Emily R. Aguiló-Pérez (Anthology Editor), Rebecca C. Hains (Anthology Editor)

Barbie in the Media offers a groundbreaking exploration of Barbie as a transmedia phenomenon. In examining the brand’s multifaceted media presence, this volume’s chapters consider both Mattel’s corporate storytelling about and fans’ reinterpretations of the iconic doll. Collectively, they reveal that these mediated negotiations of Barbie reflect and contribute to broader discourses about gender and identity in evolving sociopolitical contexts—inscribing the doll with ever-changing (and often conflicting) anxieties and dreams.

“Vibrant and thought-provoking, Barbie in the Media is an exploration of one of our most iconic figures shaping cultural narratives around gender, race, class, and power. The book is full of insight and rich, original analysis of Barbie’s role across film, television, literature, and digital platforms. For scholars, fans, and cultural critics, a must read!”
–    Orly Lobel, award-winning author of The Equality Machine: Harnessing Digital Technology for a Brighter, More Inclusive Future and You Don’t Own Me: How Mattel v. MGA Revealed Barbie’s Dark Side

“Barbie in the Media is a must read – whether you are a scholar, fan, or both! Imaginative, insightful and offering something entirely new on the globally adored doll, this collection will quickly become the key resource on Barbie for researchers in media studies, toys and children’s culture.”
–    Lincoln Geraghty, Ph.D., Professor of Media Cultures, University of Portsmouth

“From Saudi Arabia to Romania, from fascist marketing to Do-It-Yourself Punk resistance, and from print to digital, we are expertly guided through a  landscape of reinvention, resistance and stasis. Recommended!”
–    Neil Cocks, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Literary Perspective, University of Reading

#Barbie and Social Media: Digital Discourses and Mattel’s Celebrity Doll (2025)

Rebecca C. Hains (Anthology Editor), Emily R. Aguiló-Pérez (Anthology Editor)

Includes the chapter #PlasticReligion: Barbie as a Religious Avatar on Social Media, co-authored by Emily R. Aguiló-Pérez, Emma Cieslik, and Mackenzie Taylor 

#Barbie and Social Media delves into Barbie’s transformation from doll to global cultural icon–one that is deeply embedded in contemporary social media discourse. It explores how digital platforms have given rise to a dynamic, participatory culture that both celebrates and critiques doll and brand. From Mattel’s strategic branding of Barbie as a symbol of diversity and empowerment, to individuals’ use of social media to reimagine Barbie’s identity and significance, #Barbie and Social Media offers a comprehensive examination of Barbie in the digital age.

“A superb collection of essays that examine how Barbie enters and informs the cultural imagination through social media. Recognizing that the Barbie doll signifies for adults as much as it does for young people, this highly accessible volume will appeal to academics and non-academics of all ages.”

-Claire Katz, Ph.D., co-editor of In a Barbie World: Barbie as Narrative, Symbol, and Cipher

“#Barbie and Social Media offers a fresh yet timeless exploration of the famous doll as a brand, activist icon, site of critique, and so much more. With implications for areas as diverse as marketing, gender and identity studies, and online activism, this volume is essential reading for anyone thinking about culture and social media today.”

-Brooke Foucault Welles, Ph.D., co-author of #HashtagActivism: Networks of Race and Gender Justice

Islas lectoras: bibliografía crítica de literatura infantil puertorriqueña 2000-2020 (2023)

Sujei Lugo (Author), Jeanmary Lugo (Author), Isamar Abreu (Author), Emily Aguiló-Pérez (Author)

A reference book in Spanish that informs about what has been published and who has published Puerto Rican children’s literature while identifying the salient themes in these publications from 2000 to 2020.

“An excellent Spanish-language reference title focusing on Puerto Rican works for children, this would be a great resource for educators, librarians, and readers studying Puerto Rican youth literature.”

-Selenia Paz for School Library Journal

The Cultural Legacy of Disney: A Century of Magic (2024)

Robyn Muir (Anthology Editor), Rebecca Rowe (Anthology Editor),  Hannah Helm (Anthology Editor), Emily Aguiló-Pérez (Anthology Editor)

This book critically engages with the Walt Disney Company as a global media conglomerate as they mark their 100th year of business. It reflects on and looks forward to the past, present and future of the company and the scholarly engagement surrounding it through three key areas: Disney as a Company, Disney’s Representations, and Relating to Disney.

“A timely, well-researched, thoughtful consideration that points to the many futures of Disney Studies.”

-Peter Cullen Bryan, Clemson University