Yale University is launching a groundbreaking course examining Beyoncé's cultural impact, scheduled for spring 2024. The course, "Beyoncé Makes History: Back Radical Tradition History, Culture, Theory & Politics Through Music," will analyze her entire discography from her debut album through Cowboy Carter.

Photo Credit: Beyoncé by Raph PH / CC by 2.0

The curriculum, developed by black studies scholar Daphne Brooks, will explore:

• Performance politics and concert films
• Black intellectualism and activism
• Black feminist theory and philosophy
• Musicology and performance studies

Brooks, co-founder of Yale's Black Sound & the Archive Working Group, emphasizes studying Beyoncé's experimental album formats and how they platform black feminist and liberation politics.

This academic recognition comes as Beyoncé reaches 99 lifetime Grammy nominations, making her the most nominated artist in Grammy history. Her latest album, Cowboy Carter, received 11 nominations.

Several other institutions have previously offered Beyoncé-focused courses, including:

• Rutgers University
• Cornell University
• University of Illinois at Chicago
• University of Texas at San Antonio
• California Polytechnic State University
• Arizona State University

Similar courses have been developed around other influential artists like Lady Gaga (University of South Carolina), Taylor Swift (Harvard, UC Berkeley, University of Florida), and Lana Del Rey (New York University).

Related Articles

Previous Articles