You Can't Sit With Us: How the Movie Mean Girls Illuminates Oligarchical Dynamics Within a High School Setting

Analyses of the iconic film ”Mean Girls” have often characterized the dominant clique, The Plastics, as embodying an absolute autocracy, which is a system of government ruled by one person with absolute power. However, I will argue that viewing The Plastics through the lens of oligarchy offers a more nuanced understanding of their political behavior and power dynamics. By applying a political framework to existing psychological and sociological arguments, this study argues that The Plastics operates under an oligarchical regime, where power is concentrated among a select few individuals. To test this theory, I conducted a focus group study with thirteen participants, comprising a mix of graduate and undergraduate students. Results from the focus group revealed that seven out of the thirteen participants agreed that The Plastics can be best characterized as an oligarchical regime. By complementing political theory with psychological and sociological analyses, this paper seeks to provide a comprehensive understanding of the dynamics within ”Mean Girls” and their broader implications.