FRIENDSHIP IS MAGIC: ETHICS, IDENTITY, AND POLITICS IN MY LITTLE PONY (WIESS)

Credit Hour: 1 · Undergraduate Lower-Level

In 1981, Hasbro launched a worldwide phenomenon with My Little Pony dolls. Soon after, My Little Pony movies, shows, and toy lines completely revolutionized the children’s entertainment industry. In 2010, Hasbro created the animated TV series My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic, which unexpectedly diversified My Little Pony’s fanbase and brought it to a broader audience. In doing so, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic has cemented itself as a mainstream show adorned with mass appeal, a religious fanbase, and complex storylines. In this course, students will examine the animated television series My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic as a culturally and historically relevant media text. With the exploration of selected episodes, characters, and narrative arcs, the course will prompt students to analyze themes of class, race, sexuality, political governance, disability, and more. Furthermore, this course will examine the ethical and pedagogical implications of the show’s messaging for its young, impressionable audience. This course also seeks to question how the show’s fanbase influenced its trajectory and social legacy. The course will be primarily discussion-based, with students expected to view assigned episodes before class and actively participate in critical dialogue.