Overview

A pedagogical primer on integrating Black feminist thought, critical race studies, and America's most beloved pop star. In 2010--long before the release of Lemonade--Professor Kevin Allred created the university course Politicizing Beyoncé to both wide acclaim and controversy. He outlines his pedagogical philosophy in Ain't I a Diva?, exploring the process of teaching Beyoncé and what it means to use a superstar to blow up the canon. Allred brings his syllabus to life by pairing music videos and songs with historical and academic texts, and combines analysis with classroom anecdotes. Topics range from a capitalist critique of Run the World (Girls) to the politics of self-care found in Flawless; Beyoncé's art is read alongside Black feminist thinkers, including Kimberlé Crenshaw, Octavia Butler, and Sojourner Truth. Interrogating the entertainer's career through a media studies lens, Allred attests that pop culture is so much more than a guilty pleasure--it's an access point for education, entertainment, critical inquiry, and politics.

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Kevin Allred is a writer, speaker, and educator based in Brooklyn. His writing has been featured in Salon, INTO, NBC News, and other publications. Erik Bloomquist trained classically at the London Dramatic Academy and holds a degree in theater and dance from Trinity College. He was nominated for a New England Emmy(R) Award for his performance as Allan Archer on the nationally syndicated series The Cobblestone Corridor. A member of Actors' Equity Association, Erik has extensive screen and stage credits, including stints on/at: PBS, Lifetime, Travel Channel, American Heroes Channel, Hartford Stage, and Ivoryton Playhouse. Erik is also a notable (and Emmy Award-winning) writer/director, Halloween enthusiast, and member of Connecticut Magazine's 40 Under 40: Class of 2019. Cheryl Clarke is a poet, critic, and activist. She founded the Office of Diverse Community Affairs and Lesbian-Gay Concerns, which became the Office of Social Justice Education and LGBT Communities, and retired as the Livingstone Dean of Students in 2013.

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