Politics and war propaganda in Hollywood animations during the World War II (1940-1945)

• Grant number: 15/21200-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Master's degree
• Start date: January 01, 2016
• End date: June 30, 2016
• Field of knowledge: Humanities - History - History of America
• Principal Investigator: Mariana Martins Villaça
• Grantee: Paula de Castro Broda
• Supervisor: Jonathan Thomas Risner
• Host Institution: Escola de Filosofia, Letras e Ciências Humanas (EFLCH). Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP). Campus Guarulhos. Guarulhos , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Indiana University, United States
• Associated to the scholarship: 14/02306-2 - This is our fight!: Hollywood animations used as propaganda by United States in World War II (1940-1945), BP.MS

Abstract

We aim to make a research through BEPE for our Master's Degree project, "This is our fight!": Hollywood animations used as propaganda by United States in World War II (1940-1945), which intends to analyze the USA animations produced by Walt Disney Studios and Warner Bros. that were oriented for war propaganda between 1940-1945, as well as their production processes and the relationship with the politics at the time. In order to do so, it is necessary to make an investigation in archives and libraries in the United States, so we can obtain specialized documents and bibliography which can make us understand better the aforementioned production processes of such animations and also the relationships and negotiations between the Office of War Information and the Hollywood studios, which wanted to strengthen the patriotism and stimulate the purchase of war bonds. It is expected that, with this study, we would be able to analyze by a historical perspective how the animated films were used in the political games, and also to verify, through a filmic analysis, which were the consolidated USA identities, by reflecting about the way the army and their military participation were presented, as well as the built characterization of the enemies, specially the "German" and the "Japanese" ones.