Michael Kimmel
SUNY Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Sociology and Gender Studies and author of Playmakers, a history of Jewish entrepreneurs who shaped the American toy industry; noted scholar of masculinity and social change.
Best podcasts with Michael Kimmel
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Mar 14, 2026 • 33min
Michael Kimmel, "Playmakers: The Jewish Entrepreneurs Who Created the Toy Industry in America" (W. W. Norton & Co, 2026)
Michael Kimmel, Sociologist and author of Playmakers, traces how first-generation Jewish entrepreneurs built America’s toy industry. He recounts the teddy bear’s origins, uncovers a hidden Jewish toymaking network, and links immigrant marginality to imaginative childhood culture. He also explores comic creators, child-rearing ideas, and the lasting influence of those firms on modern play.
Mar 14, 2026 • 33min
Michael Kimmel, "Playmakers: The Jewish Entrepreneurs Who Created the Toy Industry in America" (W. W. Norton & Co, 2026)
Michael Kimmel, SUNY Distinguished Professor Emeritus and author of Playmakers, explores how first-generation Jewish entrepreneurs built America’s toy industry. He traces the origin of the teddy bear, the rise of companies like Hasbro and Mattel, and how immigrant imagination shaped an idealized American childhood. The conversation highlights toymaking, cultural roots, and the lasting influence of those early creators.
