Canadian universities appear to be ‘drunk in love’ with Beyoncé.
The University of Victoria and the University of Waterloo have dedicated courses to exploring the career of the singer, songwriter, record producer, actress, dancer, businesswoman and word-famous pop diva.
The University of Victoria course, ‘MUS 391 A03: Beyoncé’, which seeks to explore, among other things, Beyoncé’s use of social media and the role of female sexuality in pop music, will “involve a lot of music listening, video watching, and critical thinking,” according to the university website.
Speaking to the Canadian Press, the University of Victoria lecturer behind the elective, which debuted in January and will return this September, Melissa Avdeeff, said: “I just thought she would be an artist that a lot of the students - especially in this young 20s age range - would be able to identify with […] They’ve pretty much had Beyonce in their lives their entire lives.”
“She’s an artist that has stayed relevant culturally. She’s had her hand in a lot of different cultural aspects - not just her music,” she added. “She’s also done a bit of acting. She’s very active on social media and she presented a really interesting case study, I thought.”
Avdeeff's Twitter profile describes her as a “musicologist, sasquatch seeker, cultural critic [and] minion gatherer” - and features such politically enlightened highlights as this tweet:
I drove across BC and back this week. Really concerned that the vast majority of election signs I saw were Conservative #cdnpoli #elxn42
— melissa avdeeff (@funkmaster_m) August 26, 2015
Responding to potential criticism of the academic module, Avdeeff told the Globe and Mail: “The arts, in general, do get criticized a lot […] But it’s important to have these courses. They get people thinking more critically about how they are engaging with the media.”
But what kind of person would dedicate a semester of study to such a program? Beyoncé fanatics, perhaps?
“It’s aimed at students who probably listen to Beyoncé, fans, or people who just like pop music in general,” said Avdeeff.
Beyoncé’s cultural influence will also be the subject of a new course called “Gender and Performance” at the University of Waterloo this fall.
Offered by the school’s drama and speech communication department, the course will focus on analyzing videos from the mega-star’s most recent album and looking at performance study models, feminist and race theories in the context of her body of work.
The instructor, Professor Naila Keleta-Mae, a self-proclaimed practicing performance poet, playwright, and recording artist, defended her decision to teach the course, writing in the Huffington Post: “[Beyoncé’s] influence is undeniable and that alone makes her a legitimate person of study for scholars and students interested in gender and performance in the 21st Century.”
Because I keep getting asked. "Why I'm teaching a course on Beyoncé" writes @NailaKeletaMae http://t.co/nUh1xV356n
— Naila Keleta-Mae (@NailaKeletaMae) July 15, 2015
Beyoncé Knowles, 33, who reportedly earned an estimated US$115 million in 2014, according to Forbes, topped last year’s Celebrity 100 list and is married to U.S. rapper, record producer and entrepreneur Jay Z.
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Rick P……….you made a very good point in your post re kids enrolled in useless courses who can’t find a job after graduation & then blame everyone but themselves for their stupid choices. How about a course in plumbing or welding or electrician, where there are plenty of really good paying jobs…..i.e. …..a 23 yr old who took the electrician course, apprenticed & now is supervising a crew somewhere in Sask & made $150G last year.
Good art is not made by government funding. It is made by suffering.
Great art is important to humanity as are our artists, even when, like Van Gogh did, they fail miserably in their lifetimes.
Humanity needs those who do not compromise but who hear the angels and follow their advice.
I recently spoke with a man I went to high school with who became wildly successful as chief actuary for the European Union. As he went into countries to change everything, he had armed security and servants meeting his every need. He honestly believes he never hurt anyone.
All paths chosen give their taker a blind spot.
The great boon of a liberal arts education, for those who recognize it, is not wealth, security or a pension but the skills needed to think freely – to suspend judgement and consider ALL perspectives – not just your own, not just what you are limited to consider with your life path blind spot.
Sure, who picks up the tab Mom and Dad or the taxpayers?
I say make it swift and clean, one cut, 100%.
It’s time the CBC received another round of cuts, 50% for a start.
http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/michael-raine/cbc-funding-cuts_b_8048826.html
Success or failure – it’s typically liberals that go for their dreams and we need people like that. Becoming an accountant because your Dad was an accountant is great and all – but we only live one. Do something that truly inspires you. Want to dance? Do it. Want to make movies? Do it.
It’s never too late to work 9 to 5.
No one is getting a degree in Beyonce, although we’ve likely already seen some MA theses. This is just one elective, not a whole program.
Who would be smart to take this course is business students interested in building a career in music talent management. Because you must admit $US115 million ain’t bad for tits, ass and voice.
Some may say that studying Byron is no different. By that standard, Adam Sandler films would be considered great art (like “Bouncy”, he sings, acts, dances, writes, produces, entertains, et cetera). There is a difference between studying her and Byron.
What if you take this course and find “Bouncy” a cookie-cutter pop star with great PR, shallow music and vapid lyrics? You defend your position with example and documentation. Will you be graded upon your work, or with the venom of an angry, wide-eyed star struck fan which happens to be the instructor?
More and more universities wonder why people think some programs are jokes. These courses are jokes. What next? Knitting 301, a Fine Arts course?