| Rutgers University wrote on their website that they now offer a course on Beyoncé Knowles in their Department of Women’s and Gender Studies. The course, entitled ‘Politizising Beyoncé,’ is taught by lecturer and Ph.D student Kevin Allred.
The class is not political in the sense that you take a stand on issues before Congress or discuss who’s running for President. The class analyzes:
“Beyoncé’s control over her own aesthetic, whether her often half-naked body is empowered or stereotypical, and her more racy performances as her alter ego, ‘Sasha Fierce.’”
Some popular tracks the class investigates include “Bills, Bills, Bills,” “Bug-a-Boo,” and “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It).” Although Beyoncé’s songs provide a basis for the course material, Allred also uses works from black feminists and writings from Alice Walker, abolitionist Sojourner Truth, and others. The professor commented:
"This isn't a course about Beyoncé's political engagement or how many times she performed during President Obama's inauguration weekend… She certainly pushes boundaries. While other artists are simply releasing music, she's creating a grand narrative around her life, her career, and her persona."
Now both Beyoncé and her husband are subjects of classroom lectures. As the Huffington Post reported, a Georgetown University sociology course discusses Jay-Z’s career as musician and business mogul.
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