Beyoncé will be taught at the university. The renowned Yale establishment, based in Connecticut, has just announced the opening of a section devoted to the cultural impact of Queen B. The course, which will begin next spring, will be entitled “Beyoncé Makes History : black radical tradition, culture, theory and politics through music”.
The work of the American star will be explored and “the way in which, among other things, historical memory, black feminist politics, politics and philosophies of black liberation run through the last decade of her performance repertoire”, explained to of Guardian, Daphne Brooksprofessor of African-American studies at Yale University, who initiated the project.
“We’re going to take seriously how the critical work, the intellectual work of some of our greatest thinkers in American culture resonates with Beyoncé’s music and think about how we can apply their philosophies to her work,” he said. she added, specifying that live performances by the singer will also be considered.
The lessons will span the 99-time Grammy-nominated superstar’s career, dating back to the release of her self-titled album in 2013 – which included Drunk in Lovein a duet with her husband Jay-Z – until the smashing Cowboy Carterhis eighth album and second act of a musical triptych started with Renaissance.
Icon of the 21st century
According to the teacher, the one who had supported Kamala Harris “plays in a league of her own”, since she has “spectacularly raised awareness of and commitment to ideologies and social and political movements of base “. Like his involvement in defending women’s rights and his support for the Black Lives Matter movement. The announcement sparked “waves and waves of enthusiasm, from students, colleagues and staff,” enthused Daphne Brooks. “It’s a shame,” she added, “because if she was on tour, I would definitely try to take the class to see her!”
This is not the first time that university courses have focused on a particular artist. In 2024, Harvard University launched “Taylor Swift and Her Fashion”, a program exploring the American star’s favorite themes and writing techniques, dissecting her albums one by one, up to her eleventh, The Tortured Poets Department. The South Korean group BTS also had his place at the University of Berkeley, in California. “Next Generation Leaders: BTS,” discussed the media representation of the septet and their impact on the international scene.
Harry Styles, Lady Gaga, Miley Cyrus: these stars who are studied at university
Joseph Okpako/WireImage/Getty Images
Harry Styles
The University of Texas announced last week the opening of a brand new course, starting in spring 2023. Titled “ Harry Styles and the cult of celebrity: Identity, Internet and European pop culture”, the series of conferences will explore the career of the British singer, former member of the boy band One Direction. It will be led by the Dr Louie Dean Valencialecturer in digital history. “I always wanted to teach a history course that was fun and covered a period that students are experiencing. By teaching art, consumer society and the notion of fandom around Harry Styles, we will be able to raise real contemporary questions,” he told NBC. The students will therefore work on the superstar’s solo albums but also all those of One Direction and the films in which he starred. They will have to present a series of podcasts as their final project. After an outburst from fans on Twitter, the teacher announced that he will speak little or nothing about the famous “Larry Stylinson” rumor. Very popular among the “Harries” (the nickname of the singer’s fans), it supposes that Harry Styles would have been in a relationship for a long time with Louis Tomlinson, also a former member of the boy band.
