Barbara Millicent Roberts was born in 1959. Her image is instantly recognizable almost anywhere in the world. She has held hundreds of jobs across the last six decades, from teen model to astronaut to movie star. She’s been adored, criticized, mocked, reinvented, memed, protested, and celebrated—sometimes all at once. Who is this remarkable woman? Well, you might know her better by her nickname: Barbie.

In the six lectures of The Life of Barbie, Professor Emily Aguilo-Perez uncovers the history of a toy that took the world by storm and transformed from a product to a persona, changing the way we look at dolls and imaginative play forever. Barbie was the product of a company—and a marriage—built on experimentation and risk. Her story is one of trial-and-error, innovation, social upheaval and, ultimately, imagination. These lectures will take you on a deep dive through Barbie’s remarkable journey, from her emergence in post-war America, through her many transformations across the decades, all the way to her current, unique place in pop culture. As you will see, once an icon is born, she does not stand still; she evolves.

Barbie permanently changed the landscape of children’s toys, specifically toys created for little girls. She became much more than a fashion doll; playing with Barbie isn’t just about outfits and hairstyles, it’s about trying on different identities and building stories around a beloved character and her many friends. She has become a symbol of childhood, a commentary on womanhood, and an astonishing barometer of social and cultural change across several generations. In watching her evolution throughout the years, you’ll find we are really watching ourselves.