The Madness Chronicles – Episode 36

In our 36th episode of the Madness Chronicles, well look at the madness of what your kid can study in college. Remember, madness is a state of being mentally ill, severely, extremely foolish behavior, and a form of frenzied or disorganized activity. Lets take a look at the madness in the Big Ten schools where sports rule.

Well start with the University of Illinois, the Fighting Illini! If your kid is in Education, how about EDU-202 Social Justice, School & Society. It examines the character of justice and the dynamics of a pluralistic society to origin a conception of social justice. Or say they are an English major try ENGL 277-Gender in Gaming. It examines the history of gender in video games, focusing on how movements like internet bullying, doxing, and trolling emerged as the coordinated effort to consolidate and continue video games and geek culture as the domain of masculinity and whiteness. Did you get that?

Moving east to Bloomington, Indiana, we find the home of the Hoosiers of Indiana University. Send your child here for such courses as GNDR-G 304-Constructions of Masculinities. The syllabus says it is an interdisciplinary examination of what consists of (and has historically constituted) masculinity. Designed to illuminate the contested underpinnings of masculinity. Or if theyre into cooking, perhaps take ANTH-E 337-Food, Sex, and Gender. Explores how food reflects and creates gender and contributes and expresses sexuality.

In what might surprise you, the University of Iowa, home to the Hawkeyes, offers course AFAM 2800-African American Women, Health, Hair, and Sexuality. It says from the exotic to the erotic, African American womens bodies have been constructed to fulfill a variety of personal and cultural fantasies and social roles that are killing us softly. Not sure what that method?

On to Ann Arbor and the Michigan Wolverines. Your student could enroll in AAS 347-Urban Inequality in America. The class delves into these questions of inequality in America by focusing on how space and place have come to play an integral role in shaping poverty and disadvantage in the U.S. Or if that doesnt float their boat, try WOMENSTD 434-Eco/Queer/Feminist Art Practices. This class investigates ecofeminist, queer ecological, and global feminist environmental justice art in visual art, sculptural practice, creative writing, performance, dance, somatic movement, and more. Now that was a mouthful.

In East Lansing, we find Michigan State University home of the Spartans. Here your little one can study ANP 859-Gender, Justice, and Environmental Change. Here they research gender, ecology, and environmental studies-methodological and fieldwork issues from a feminist perspective in international and intercultural settings. I am not exactly sure what that is, but I am sure there are job vacancies galore for one so trained.

If that precious one of yours chooses to be a Golden Gopher and heads to the frigid University of Minnesota, they wont disappoint. They can take CSCL 3405-Marx for Today. The course provides students with an introduction to Marxist theory, with particular attention to its relevance for the current world. Northwestern University is undoubtedly a fine school. There your rising star can study AFAMST 339-Unsettling Whiteness. They will learn about the historical, political, and cultural formation of whiteness in Western modernity visible and narratable for commentary and examination.

I know this is fun, but we cant hit all the Big 10, which you know, of course, truly has 14 schools. Well close with a associate hard to pass by. Ohio State offers ANTHROP 3334-Zombies: The Anthropology of the Undead, Penn State provides AMST 226-basic Approaches to Hip-Hop, and if they become a Cornhusker, the University of Nebraska offers HIST 336-Saints, Witches, and Madwomen.

The consequence of following these courses of study is rearing its ugly head right about now in 2020 America. My best advice would be dont make the little ones bedroom into an office just in addition… they may catch you on the rebound about $100,000 later.

May we wake from this madness before its too late. I wish you good health, and until next time, have fun, enjoy life, and watch out for the madness amongst us. Its 2020, and its getting out of hand.