Georgetown Parents Oppose Jay-Z Class, Michael Eric Dyson Responds
Georgetown University introduced a class on Jay-Z earlier this semester, called “Sociology of Hip-Hop — Urban Theodicy of Jay-Z,” with Michael Eric Dyson as the teacher. Dyson is a respected professor, radio host, author, and minister. And he feels that Jay-Z’s lyrics have been positively influential from a sociological perspective. But Georgetown parents are not so sure. Many of them do not approve of the new Jay-Z class, which filled to over-capacity the first week it was offered.
In defense of the course, Dyson says,
“I’m sure there’s a lot of push-back from some students’ parents. But I tell them, ‘Bring your parents in here. Let them see what we’re doing. It might change their minds…’ This is not a class meant to sit around and go, ‘Oh man, those lyrics were dope.’ We’re dealing with everything that’s important in a sociology class: race, gender, ethnicity, class, economic inequality, social injustice… His body of work has proved to be powerful, effective and influential. And it’s time to wrestle with it… Hip-hop has globalized a conception of blackness that has had a political impact, whether or not it had a political intent.”
In the class, he compares Jay-Z’s work to the work of other influential figures like W.E.B Du Bois and Biggie. The chairman of Georgetown’s sociology department, Timonthy Wickham-Crowley, also supports the class.
“When [Dyson] comes out of the classroom, he has students in tow and there are these animated, engaged conversations going on.”
Whose Side Are YOU On?
Source: VIBE
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The notion that certain topics are unworthy of scholarly investigation and teaching is being challenged by a younger generation of academics who feel that our understanding of cultural phenomena like hip-hop needs to be taken to another level. My own teaching on American fashion tackles evolving notions of gender, cultural pride, freedom, affluence, youth, health, power, conformity and dissent. College students can and should be able to handle such so-called “frivolous” topics with academic rigor. As for conservatism and Jay Z’s lyrics, I say what I always tell my students on the first day of class: “Being offended by the things that you are exposed to in this course has nothing to do with your ability to learn from them – I am offended a millions times a day, why shouldn’t you be???”
Ase’ Siobhan. The reality is that any art form presents an opportunity to examine a wide range of social issues. My hip hop culture course was taught from a critical lens and focused on resistance in hip hop a great deal. The students that hung in there (most of them) were really moved by the course and wowed by how far you could take the examination of hip hop. Parents would be amazed at the types of courses offered in college. They would realize they received a rudimentary education at best.