Photo Credit: Beyoncé by Raph PH / CC by 2.0

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

Led by black studies scholar Daphne Brooks, co-founder of Yale's Black Sound & the Archive Working Group, the course will explore:

• Beyoncé's performance politics and concert films
• Black intellectualism and activism
• Black feminist theory and philosophy
• Performance studies and musicology
• Historical memory and black liberation politics

Brooks emphasizes examining how Beyoncé's innovative album formats have served as platforms for mobilizing important social and cultural themes.

The course announcement comes as Beyoncé receives 11 Grammy nominations for Cowboy Carter, making her the most Grammy-nominated artist in history with 99 nominations total.

Several other prestigious institutions have offered similar courses studying Beyoncé's impact, including:

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

This academic recognition extends beyond Beyoncé, with universities offering courses on 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).

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