After the announcement that The University of Missouri is offering a course investigating the careers of Jay Z and Kanye West, Rutgers University is now offering a course which uses Beyoncé’s music and career to investigate ‘contemporary U.S. society and its current class, racial, gender, and sexual politics.’

Feminist Perspectives: Politicizing Beyoncé, offered by the Women & Gender Studies Department views Beyoncé as a feminist and examines her music in addition to ‘readings on political issues, both contemporary and historical’. The course attempts to answer: ‘can Beyoncé’s music be seen as a blueprint for progressive social change?’

Kevin Allred, a doctoral student and lecturer at the university, explained that the idea came from other teachings in gender studies. The course pairs Beyoncé’s music videos and lyrics with feminist readings.

With two semesters remaining in my degree, I am now considering doing an exchange semester in the US to take one of these subjects.

The full course guide is available on the Rutgers University website.

Muhammad Arayne

More Beyoncé

Beyoncé wrote an essay on gender equality
Beyoncé and friends crash a karaoke party in Miami
Listen: Melo-X’s Yoncé-X Beyonce remix EP