Deconstructing Dolls Girlhoods and the Meanings of Play

The age-old trivialization of girls and devaluation of youth cultures has led to a disregard of dolls as legitimate sources of documentary evidence, even among scholars. It was not until the late nineteenth century that changing notions of childhood first gave rise to research on children, and a new appreciation of the social importance of play. Deconstructing Dolls explores the role of dolls in girlhood and young womanhood, seeking to understand the historical and contemporary significance of dolls particularly as they relate social meanings in the lives of girls.