Rebecca Hains is a communication and media studies scholar and author. Hains is a frequently quoted expert on the subject of children's

media culture In cultural studies, media culture refers to the current Western capitalist society that emerged and developed from the 20th century, under the influence of mass media. The term alludes to the overall impact and intellectual guidance exerted by t ...

and marketing, which she studies from a feminist media studies and critical/cultural studies perspective. She is a professor in the Media and Communication Department at

Salem State University Salem State University (Salem State or SSU) is a public university in Salem, Massachusetts. Established in 1854, it is the oldest and largest institute of higher education on the North Shore and is part of the state university system in Massa ...

in Salem, Massachusetts, where she has also served as department chair and a faculty fellow in diversity, equity and inclusion.

Publications

Hains' 2012 book ''Growing Up With Girl Power: Girlhood On Screen and in Everyday Life'' presented a critical history of the

girl power Girl power is a slogan that encourages and celebrates women's empowerment, independence, confidence and strength. The slogan's invention is credited to the US punk band Bikini Kill, who published a zine called ''Bikini Kill #2: Girl Power'' i ...

phenomenon. Combining textual analysis with field work among children and interviews with young women, the book considers girls' interpretations of girl power's messages about female empowerment, girlhood, strength, femininity, and race. In the book, Hains detailed strengths and limitations in commercialized girl power's handling of preadolescent body image, gender identity, sexism, and racism. Her 2014 book ''The Princess Problem: Guiding Our Girls through the Princess-Obsessed Years'' critiqued princess culture's

consumerism Consumerism is a social and economic order that encourages the acquisition of goods and services in ever-increasing amounts. With the Industrial Revolution, but particularly in the 20th century, mass production led to overproduction—the su ...

and its gender, race, and beauty

stereotypes In social psychology, a stereotype is a generalized belief about a particular category of people. It is an expectation that people might have about every person of a particular group. The type of expectation can vary; it can be, for example ...

, with special attention to the Disney Princess franchise. The book combines original field research and secondary analysis of scholarly research on media and child development, interpreting these studies for a mainstream audience of parents. It focuses on helping children develop critical thinking and critical viewing skills and was the subject of significant media attention, including a double segment on the Meredith Vieira Show. Hains has also edited, with collaborators, three anthologies on children's culture: ''Princess Cultures: Mediating Girls’ Imaginations and Identities'', '' Cultural Studies of LEGO: More Than Just Bricks '', and ''The Marketing of Children’s Toys: Critical Perspectives on Children’s Consumer Culture''.

Media appearances and perspective

Conventional U.S. and international media frequently cite Hains as an academic expert on children's media culture. Her critical perspective on media representation of girls and women, as well as gender stereotypes on screen and in children's toys, have been reported on in major publications, news programs, and radio broadcasts. For example, her analyses of

Barbie Barbie is a fashion doll manufactured by American toy company Mattel, Inc. and launched on March 9, 1959. American businesswoman Ruth Handler is credited with the creation of the doll using a German doll called Bild Lilli as her inspiration. ...

have been covered by Adweek, the New York Times, and on SiriusXM, while her critiques of Disney Princess and princess culture have been reported on by the BBC,The Christian Science Monitor, Fortune, the Guardian, the Meredith Vieira Show, the New York Times, NPR's On Point, and The Wall Street Journal More broadly, many outlets reporting on

gender-neutral Gender neutrality (adjective form: gender-neutral), also known as gender-neutralism or the gender neutrality movement, is the idea that policies, language, and other social institutions (social structures or gender roles) should avoid distinguish ...

toys A toy or plaything is an object that is used primarily to provide entertainment. Simple examples include toy blocks, board games, and dolls. Toys are often designed for use by children, although many are designed specifically for adults and pe ...

and gendered toy marketing have included her expert commentary, such as CBC Radio's The Current, Fox and Friends,NPR's Morning Edition, Slate, and the Wall Street Journal. Hains also spoke extensively about her expertise in princess culture,

, and the history of girls and media in the ARTE FRANCE documentary ''Pink Attitude: Princesses, Pop Stars and Girl Power''.

Academia

Hains' academic credits include numerous peer-reviewed journal articles, including "Power feminism, mediated: Girl power and the commercial politics of change," published in ''Women's Studies in Communication''. Her most frequently cited article, it often informs scholars' research about feminism and power dynamics in the media. Hains was invited as a special guest to the White House Council on Women and Girls's Research Conference on Girls in 2014 Hains is on the National Advisory Council of Media Literacy Now. and the editorial board of the Journal of Children and Media. She was previously a board member of the Brave Girls Alliance, the International Communication Association, and the National Women' Studies Association

Education

Hains holds a B.A. from Emmanuel College, an M.S. from

Boston University Boston University (BU) is a Private university, private research university in Boston, Massachusetts. The university is nonsectarian, but has a historical affiliation with the United Methodist Church. It was founded in 1839 by Methodists with ...

, and a Ph.D. from

Temple University Temple University (Temple or TU) is a public state-related research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was founded in 1884 by the Baptist minister Russell Conwell and his congregation Grace Baptist Church of Philadelphia then calle ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hains, Rebecca Year of birth missing (living people) Living people American mass media scholars American media critics Salem State University faculty Emmanuel College (Massachusetts) alumni Boston University alumni Temple University alumni American women non-fiction writers American feminist writers Feminist studies scholars Cultural critics North American cultural studies American academics Academics from Massachusetts Women scholars and academics American women critics