Scholars, students to discuss Beyoncé and black feminism

A UIC course focuses on pop icon Beyoncé and black feminism.

A UIC undergraduate course on pop icon Beyoncé, and her connection to contemporary issues of class, race, gender and sexuality, has attracted the attention of media all over the world.

Next week, a community event open to the public, “Who Run the Classroom? Scholars & Students Discuss Black Feminism & Beyoncé,” will consider the same topics.

The discussion, 5:30 to 8 p.m. March 18 in Lecture Center A1, will be led by Jennifer Richardson, research assistant professor of gender and women’s studies, and Kevin Allred, doctoral candidate at Rutgers University.

The two scholars will discuss how they use the music and career of Beyoncé Knowles-Carter to explore issues of black feminist theory in the classroom.

Allred, a scholar of black feminism, pop culture and U.S. politics, began teaching “Politicizing Beyoncé: Black Feminism, U.S. Politics, & Queen Bey” at Rutgers in 2010. Richardson’s course, “Beyoncé: Critical Feminist Perspectives of U.S. Black Womanhood,” examines the artist’s music and career and her attempt to position herself as a feminist and queer figure, along with larger issues of representation of African American women in the media.

Students will join Richardson and Allred in discussion and present work from their midterm projects.

For more information, email uic.gws@gmail.com or call 312-996-2441.