BLOG THREE-MAGNOTTA

 Kim Magnotta

What do International Relations and Disney’s The Little Mermaid have to do with one another? 

While at first glance the connection between International Relations and Disney’s 1989 film, The Little Mermaid, may seem abstract, with further analysis it is quite apparent that these topics have stark similarities. The Little Mermaid, tells the story of Ariel, a teenage mermaid who desperately wants to marry a human. Despite her father’s warnings that a marriage between a mermaid and a human would disrupt the world order, Ariel instantly falls in love with Prince Eric after watching him at a party. Ariel’s behavior mimics a tragedy of the commons type situation that often arises in international disputes. Rather than Ariel following the universal standard set forth by her father, she chose to make her own decisions, which had the potential to harm other individuals. Ariel continues to act in her own self-interest after two sea eels approach, and suggests that she visit Ursula, a villainous character known to make one-sided contracts. 

After Ariel and Ursula converse, a binding contract is formed, where Ariel must perform the necessary tasks in an effort to remain with Prince Eric, or live under Ursula’s oppressive rule for eternity. In the land that Ariel inhabits, there does not appear to be a court system that offers fair and unbiased treatment under a set of consistent laws. Ursula has taken it upon herself to draft a legal contract with Ariel that clearly represents an unbalanced agreement, where Ariel has significantly more to lose than Ursula. Similarly, in the current International Court System, the United States is in a position where they are able to help create international law, but they “are not a Participant in the International Criminal Court”(Ted Gallen Carpenter, At I.C.C., Due Process Deficiencies Mar Credibility, New York Times). This allows the United States to act as a puppeteer and control what is happening internationally, while not needing to have a direct influence in the International Criminal Court, which is often criticized for being biased. In The Little Mermaid, Ursula acts as the puppetmaster among the mermaid community, as she is able to create “legal, binding, and completely unbreakable” contracts, yet no one is allowed to impose agreements on her (The Little Mermaid, Disney, 1 hour and 11-minute mark). This one-sided nature of agreements allows for one side to be seen as superior to the other, and this is a frequent occurrence in international law. 

While discussing international law, it is important to highlight that the nature of due process is often muddied, as every political entity has its own procedures for how the law should be conducted. The International Criminal Court attempts to find a common ground and mesh the laws of individual jurisdictions and the general International Court. Since the International Court represents a union of ideas, the rights of the defendant are often minimized. In the case of The Little Mermaid, Ariel is forced to sign a legal document, without reading its contents or consulting with proper adversaries. As a result of the hasty nature of the deal between Ariel and Ursula, Ariel was given a distinct disadvantage, as her rights were hindered. While Ariel was not in a courtroom situation, she did experience the pressures of signing a contract without having access to unbiased legal counsel. 

At the conclusion of The Little Mermaid, when Ariel’s father sacrifices his life for Ariel to live outside of Ursula’s rule, a fight occurs. Ariel is pushed to the seafloor, and Ursula points her weapon towards her and yells: “contract or not I’ll blast you” (The Little Mermaid, Disney, 1 hour and 12-minute mark). Despite Ursula being technically not allowed to “blast” Ariel, in this moment of anarchy, all laws appear to be disregarded. A similar connection can be drawn to international laws, as contracts and agreements essentially become unenforceable during times of anarchy. While The Little Mermaid is a children’s movie designed for entertainment, it is important to acknowledge the distinct similarities between this film and the happenings on the international stage. Further, it should be noted that the potential meaning within this animated film, is a method by which producers are backhandedly teaching the public a lesson about politics. 

Sources (In addition to class lectures): 

https://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2014/12/11/do-we-need-the-international-criminal-court/at-icc-due-process-deficiencies-mar-credibility 

http://www.americanbarfoundation.org/uploads/cms/documents/ahead_of_the_lawmen.pdf