U of B: A university in New Jersey will soon let students study Beyoncé.
Do you ever feel like even with all of the albums, the photo shoots, the sound bites and the 24/7 gossip cycle, you still don’t know enough about Beyoncé? Well fear not, because soon the preternaturally obsessed will be able to study the great and powerful Bey as part of a university diploma.
No, this is not a joke. I honestly had to do a quick calendar check because this sounds like the sort of headline you get fooled by on April 1st. But no, it’s still January, and yes, Rutgers University will soon offer a course called “Politicizing Beyoncé.”
According to a piece in the MetroUK, the course (offered by the University’s Department of Gender Studies) “will allow fans and pop-culture vultures to explore the 30-year-old "Single Ladies" singer's alter ego Sasha Fierce, and debate the extent of control she has over her own image. They will also debate whether her red-hot persona is an outlet of female sexual empowerment or merely complying with western gender stereotypes.”
Can you imagine the heated debates? Is it feminist or anti-female to perform “Girls Who Rule The World” clad in metallic underwear (as Beyoncé did, while I cringed, on the Oprah finale celebration)? Was the baby bump real or fake? Be it resolved that Blue is a stupid name…
Seriously, though, while I readily admit that this course sounds more interesting than most of what I studied at university, I wonder whether it is setting a dangerous precedent. If Beyoncé is a legitimate area of study, what’s to stop another school from offering courses in Beiber-nomics? And you just know Gwyneth is going to start The GOOP Institute of Higher Learning when she catches wind of Bey’s new scholastic status.
Holy Crap! first they name a bug who's butt lights up after her now a course??????? Has the American education system fallen that low that they have nothing better to teach our next generation. Next thing you know they'll be a course on internet lingo abbreviation that will be totally useless in the working world.
For god sakes she's a human being who hasn't really done much and to put her up there with Einstein or other accomplished people of our history is total blasphemy!
I would purposely fail the course just cause it's that ridiculous.
This is the country that said pizza is now a vegetable!!!! STUPID!!!!!
I hope a comet falls on Beyonce and than maybe she's worth studying the cause and effect of your ego being bigger than the comet that struck you!B
can't they find something that would be much better suited to students learning how they can help make the world a better place, instead of making her to be more than what she is: just a singer with good publicists helping make her seem important. People should realize she is just a very talented singer. Last I looked she hasn't stopped world hunger or anything important like that. Get a life people!!!
At least Lord Of The Rings is literature but seriously Beyonce? Wow this b-lister, no pun intended, sure has an uberpublicist. Good example Pia? In what how to make the birth of your child seem like you just delivered the next heir to the throne?
Big deal! It's just joining a host of other universities that offer classes on such things as the Beatles, Elvis, Star Wars, Judge Judy, Superheroes, Harry Potter, Zombies, Cyperporn, the Simpsons, Lord of the Rings... the list goes on. Using Beyonce as a hyperfocus for a gender studies group is far from the dumbest class out there, and in the days where people in chairs means more funding, it makes sense for universities to offer these classes.
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oh dear...
Posted by: Yellow...Rose...from..Texas | 02/01/2012 at 07:15 PM
Yep... this is totally applicable in the professional sphere...
Posted by: D | 01/31/2012 at 01:37 PM
Holy Crap! first they name a bug who's butt lights up after her now a course??????? Has the American education system fallen that low that they have nothing better to teach our next generation. Next thing you know they'll be a course on internet lingo abbreviation that will be totally useless in the working world.
For god sakes she's a human being who hasn't really done much and to put her up there with Einstein or other accomplished people of our history is total blasphemy!
I would purposely fail the course just cause it's that ridiculous.
This is the country that said pizza is now a vegetable!!!! STUPID!!!!!
I hope a comet falls on Beyonce and than maybe she's worth studying the cause and effect of your ego being bigger than the comet that struck you!B
Posted by: Beyonce Hater | 01/31/2012 at 12:17 PM
can't they find something that would be much better suited to students learning how they can help make the world a better place, instead of making her to be more than what she is: just a singer with good publicists helping make her seem important. People should realize she is just a very talented singer. Last I looked she hasn't stopped world hunger or anything important like that. Get a life people!!!
Posted by: Mary-Lou | 01/31/2012 at 11:01 AM
Q : Never
Posted by: Megs | 01/30/2012 at 08:55 PM
It's called cultural studies. Look it up.
Posted by: ninaveneno | 01/30/2012 at 06:36 PM
At least Lord Of The Rings is literature but seriously Beyonce? Wow this b-lister, no pun intended, sure has an uberpublicist. Good example Pia? In what how to make the birth of your child seem like you just delivered the next heir to the throne?
Posted by: Spyke | 01/30/2012 at 02:47 PM
I will take it is not a waste at all, she is a powerful woman, who set good examples for everyone, u go girl!
Posted by: Pia | 01/30/2012 at 02:27 PM
Absolutely silly!
Posted by: cam | 01/30/2012 at 01:07 PM
Big deal! It's just joining a host of other universities that offer classes on such things as the Beatles, Elvis, Star Wars, Judge Judy, Superheroes, Harry Potter, Zombies, Cyperporn, the Simpsons, Lord of the Rings... the list goes on. Using Beyonce as a hyperfocus for a gender studies group is far from the dumbest class out there, and in the days where people in chairs means more funding, it makes sense for universities to offer these classes.
Posted by: Whit | 01/30/2012 at 11:55 AM