Dora the Explorer

Dora the Explorer is an American animated television series for preschoolers. The series is the top-rated preschool program on commercial television in the United States. The pilot episode for Dora the Explorer aired in 1999; it became regular programming in August 2000 on Nick Jr., and was simultaneously released in 22 Latin American countries. The main character of the 30-minute show is the 7-year-old Latina Dora Marquez, accompanied by her sidekick, Boots the Monkey. In each episode, Dora solves puzzles and problems with the help of Map and Backpack in a magical world of jungles, beaches, and rainforests. The setting has vaguely Latin American features.

Most episodes follow a similar pattern. They begin with Dora greeting the audience in Spanish or English. The protagonists then encounter a task to be accomplished or a problem to be solved. With the help of Map, they find their way, and with the help of Backpack they obtain the necessary objects to complete the task or solve the problem. During their quests, Dora and Boots encounter animal characters, including the antagonist Swiper the Fox, who is the only character who does not speak any Spanish.

Dora the Explorer claims to teach children basic Spanish words and phrases, as well as mathematics, music skills, and physical coordination, and to [Page 423]develop their analytical thinking and problem-solving skills. According to the show's creators, the use of Spanish on the show introduces non-Spanish speaking children to a foreign language at a critical period for language learning. The languages used on the show change from one country to another. In the Serbian version, the bilingualism also involves Spanish, but in most versions, including Dutch, German, French, Korean, Japanese, and Swedish, the bilingualism is with English. In some versions, such as the Turkish one, there is trilinguism with English and Spanish.

Although the educational and multicultural aspects of the series, created with the help of panels of educators, researchers, and cultural consultants, are often highly praised, there have also been criticisms. The show has been criticized for presenting a generic Latino type with a visual and linguistic representation that glosses over differences of national origin, class, and race among U.S. Latinos and Latin Americans. It has also been argued that the show teaches Spanish to young viewers in a purely instrumental manner, without linking it to ideas about any Latino culture. A study by S. Calvert et al. indicates that girls and white children are more likely to self-identify with Dora than boys and Hispanic children, respectively. This may support the view that the bicultural elements on the show are not strong. The show has been an international marketing success. Dora the Explorer merchandise, including toys such as action figures, plush dolls, board games and play sets, books, DVDs, video games, stationery, and apparel, are distributed globally and enjoy high marketing rates. In 2009, Mattel announced that Dora would undergo a makeover, and they were going to introduce a tween Dora. The news caused a stir among parents and child development experts, who perceived Dora the Explorer as a positive role model for girls and worried that the character might lose these qualities. What was introduced in the end was the Dora Links Website, featuring games, e-books, online shopping, and an online interactive doll that do not conflict with the Dora image.

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