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Weekly Update 34
![](https://media.beehiiv.com/cdn-cgi/image/fit=scale-down,format=auto,onerror=redirect,quality=80/uploads/asset/file/fd55d5bd-38fd-4537-b8c6-6bb86da5dd2b/volv-newsletter-head.jpg)
October 28, 2022
We were still swooning over 'Midnights' and the mastermind that is Taylor Swift when found out that Rihanna is dropping new music too, after a six-year gap. It's really happening β RiRi's new track from 'Black Panther 2' has been released β and WE. CANT. STOP. LISTENING.
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Our top stories this week:
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#CelebCourses
π€ From the politics of BeyoncΓ© to the sociology of Miley Cyrus, college courses exploring music artists' works are cropping up.
β Celebrities constantly tell stories that spark essential moral, political, economic, and cultural conversations.
π Universities are making the most of celebs' roles to be relevant to GenZ, growing increasingly skeptical of 4-year degrees.
Swifties, assemble⦠for college
π©βπ€ New York University has a new course on Taylor Swift's still-developing music legacy.
π€ The University of Texas-Austin also announced 'The Taylor Swift Songbook' course enabling students to explore her work alongside the works of Shakespeare and Robert Frost.
π½ Required materials? Swift's recent albums and a streaming music app.
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Studying Kanye West and his latest controversy
π A professor who previously taught two Ye-inspired courses plans to launch a 3rd one at the University of Rochester.
β The course will explore recent controversies linked to his white evangelical Christianity and anti-Blackness.
π¨οΈ Montreal's Concordia University's course on Ye explores ideas like 'Kanyetive Dissonance.'
A few honorable mentions
π¨βπ€ Harry Styles gets one, too. Texas State University's course covers the pop star's impact on the European pop scene, including sexuality, fashion, and fan culture.
π UC Berkeley's Nicki Minaj course for Spring 2023 will also critically study her music. The rapper said she'd "love to stop by."
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Just a savvy marketing move?
πΈ Some say US colleges see students as customers and want to ensure the most appealing packaging, "including modules with cool names."
π Conservative commentators have questioned their credibility and called them "a waste of tuition."
π£ However, professors say these courses create conversational entry points on issues such as racism, sexism, queerphobia, sustainability, and gun control.
If you have any feedback, drop it here. Have a great weekend!