Fans of Beyoncé Knowles
might be excited to hear that they can sign up for a course focusing on
the singer at Rutgers University in New Jersey. more on it after the cut...Kevin Allred, who has been teaching the course since 2010, explains that it is really about taking a critical look at black feminist history and politics through Beyoncé's music.
He says:
'Once that is understood, even the critics are able to see it more along
the lines of a literature class studying Shakespeare, or any other
respected author. We're just updating the material we're using.
'I
chose Beyoncé for the course because her music embodies all the layers
of politics I wanted to explore with students - race, gender, class,
sexuality.'
Using
the music and career of the singer alongside historical and
contemporary black feminist texts, students are encouraged to address
how Beyoncé pushes the boundaries of these categories.
'I
think the course is important because it teaches young people to be
critical thinkers - to be conscious of the pop culture they're consuming
on a daily basis,'
Mr Allred continues.
'As
well, they are able to understand Beyoncé's work on deeper levels,
levels that place her more in line with black feminist activists
throughout history.
'That
kind of analysis shows that politics and pop culture have much more to
do with one another than it may seem at first. Pop culture is in fact
some people's entry point into politics and I think it's fun using
Beyoncé to open those doors.'
Report by: Daily Mail
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