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Princeton To Teach Class On Books Written By Models
A Weekend Of Domestic Violence
Model: Fashion Advertising As Orchestrated Theatre

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suiterkin
11/10/09

In reply to Princeton To Teach Class On Books Written By Models
As a graduate student in English planning many courses for the first time, it's interesting to see responses to this syllabus. Looking at this professor's website, it seems like she teaches a lot of writing classes. With such classes, it's very common to pair a rigorous pedagogy (lots and lots of writing and revision) -- and not just rigorous theory, or often instead of rigorous theory -- with entertaining material in order to keep the students engaged as they gain skills that they'd rather just magically acquire than work to master. I taught a really rewarding (for me; I hope for my students as well) writing course featuring The Daily Show and The Colbert Report. It was basically a political satire course, but the sexy material kept them working hard and thinking critically as they were writing their third and fourth drafts of the same assignment. Those essays were far more sophisticated than their essays on Swift, though I love Swift, too, and I don't regret teaching him! Again, I'm not positive that that's what's going on here, but I do think it's worth thinking twice (as a lot of commenters are!) before assuming that a class is fluffy. #modelbehaviors
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girlleastlikelyto
11/10/09

In reply to Princeton To Teach Class On Books Written By Models
One of my writing professors co-wrote Desert Flower. What I've read of it is very affecting. I think books about models like that can lead to some interesting conversations about culture and privilege.

Personally, I can't imagine using credits to take a course that is so specific, even in grad school. I wanted an education that is broad enough to be able to apply to a number of subjects in my field. I can also see how such a focused course can lead to being able to apply what you learn to other subjects, however. #modelbehaviors
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LadybirdRamone
11/10/09

In reply to Princeton To Teach Class On Books Written By Models
Wendy Belcher is an amazing teacher. I took a class with her before she went to Princeton, and it was both interesting and actually useful. I went to Princeton and took a class on The Internet in 1997. Now THAT was lame. #modelbehaviors
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sportz.star
11/10/09

In reply to Princeton To Teach Class On Books Written By Models
YAWN.

I took: Disneyland and American Culture and the Sociology of Pop Culture (wherein I studied Trekkers and wrote a paper on Titanic (the movie) that involved video clips).

I skipped the Sociology of Porn (or some such) though I hear it was fascinating.

Princeton really need to step up on its "classes with names that are likely to subject it to public ridicule". #modelbehaviors
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coffee milk
11/10/09

In reply to Princeton To Teach Class On Books Written By Models
When you open Naomi Campbell's book, a mobile phone flies out. Sure it hurts when it hits you, but, hey, free cell phone! #modelbehaviors
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LaComtesse
11/10/09

@coffee milk: Brava. #modelbehaviors
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Zombie Ms. Skittles
11/10/09

In reply to Princeton To Teach Class On Books Written By Models
I'm waiting for the day someone wises up and finally bases a class around my memoir of being a blog commenter and on again/off again bloggist. #modelbehaviors
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WaltzingMatilda
11/10/09

In reply to Princeton To Teach Class On Books Written By Models
"discussions of contemporary television programs"

ANTM time!

(but seriously, I did a final class paper on P Funk, so you shall hear no complaints from me) #modelbehaviors
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the glamwich
11/10/09

@WaltzingMatilda: i wrote an entire critical essay on inverting sexuality and gender roles in "When Doves Cry". i made an A.

it was the best class i took in college. #modelbehaviors
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WaltzingMatilda
11/10/09

@the glamwich: Awesome! That sounds just plain awesome.

Full-disclosure: I also have to admit, in my pop culture class, I wrote my final paper on Animal House and its influence on modern fratnernity life.

(I took two on pop music - separated into pre-ragtime and post-ragtime, both were awesome, and one on pop culture. Yeah, I'm that kid) #modelbehaviors
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the glamwich
11/10/09

@WaltzingMatilda: oh honey, i know how you feel. i essentially created my own minor which i have called "sexuality and gender roles in pop culture". and some day (a long time from now) i will go to grad school and write a dissertation on Intersectionality in Mass Media.

i took a history of pop music class (starting pre-ragtime) and hated it, it was was too base and didn't delve into anything. [i'm THAT kid in the music class, which is probably why i'm a music supervisor now]. #modelbehaviors
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WaltzingMatilda
11/10/09

@the glamwich: Oh my god. Hearted so very hard.

Pop Music 2 was my favorite, favorite class - for multiple reasons. First, tracing rock's origins and development from African drum beats to Chuck Berry to Elvis to the Beatles to Bob Dylan, etc. - LOVED the history of rock. Second, much better classmates. Tons of kids failed Pop 1 because they thought it would be easy, so Pop 2 was all kinds of music majors and enthusiasts. My small section was SO much fun. #modelbehaviors
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Vivien Smith-Smythe-Smith
11/10/09

@WaltzingMatilda: I've written two A essays on Christian Indie and its secular consumers, and the cultural significance of the globalisation of hip-hop, and its impact on Black youth culture.
Popular music studies mark, yo- easiest, most fun paper ever! #modelbehaviors
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andromache
11/10/09

In reply to Princeton To Teach Class On Books Written By Models
I'd be interested in seeing the syllabus for this course. While I'm skeptical, I do agree that sometimes the "fluff" course turn out to be much more difficult than expected. I took a course on popular music, and it was actually much tougher than any other course I took for my music minor (it was more challenging than the history of the symphony even). I think it depends on the instructor and what kind of standards will be upheld. #modelbehaviors
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graciousplum
11/10/09

In reply to Princeton To Teach Class On Books Written By Models
Does Tyra have one? Surely. But I can't think of it, if it exists....you'd think she of all people would!
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futuremouse promoted this comment Edited by graciousplum at 11/10/09 3:52 PM graciousplum was starred graciousplum was unstarred

futuremouse
11/10/09

@graciousplum: Their Smize Were Watching God #modelbehaviors
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hello.kitty
11/10/09

In reply to Princeton To Teach Class On Books Written By Models
Is AFTER THE RAIN by Princeton alum Brooke Shields additional reading? Anybody remember the name of her first book, the one she wrote while still a student? #modelbehaviors
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hollygirl
11/10/09

@hello.kitty: It was carried in my college bookstore- all I remember is the chapter headed, " what my Virginity Means to me", which my mean friends and I would giggle at. #modelbehaviors
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JessicaLovejoy: Laughing, riding, cornholing!
11/10/09

In reply to Princeton To Teach Class On Books Written By Models
Get with the program, Prof. No Lifeguard on Duty or GTFO!
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Edited by JessicaLovejoy: Laughing, riding, cornholing! at 11/10/09 3:50 PM

Triana Orpheus
11/10/09

In reply to Princeton To Teach Class On Books Written By Models
I understand that knowledge of pop culture is important, but classes like this is why America is slowing down on innovation and intelligence. #modelbehaviors
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Edited by Triana Orpheus at 11/10/09 3:47 PM Triana Orpheus was starred Triana Orpheus was unstarred

Master.And.Everyone
11/10/09

@Triana Orpheus: Thank you. While I don't necessarily believe that we should all flock to engineering schools, this is sorely evident in the decline of college level writing/analysis, reading comprehension, and basic information retention skills. (Can you tell I work at a writing center/book store?) #modelbehaviors
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msAnthrope
11/10/09

@Triana Orpheus: right? we sound like the sourpusses here, but it seems to me that pop culture is about the only thing in which the majority of americans is well-versed.

that said, i do keep hoping that reincarnation is true because do i ever want to come back in just one lifetime as a leggy, wealthy supermodel. what could suck about being giselle bundchen? even for just a year.
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Edited by msAnthrope at 11/10/09 3:54 PM msAnthrope was starred msAnthrope was unstarred

Kivrin
11/10/09

@Triana Orpheus: Edited--I was gonna be bitchy about classes like this, but then I decided not to.
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Edited by Kivrin at 11/10/09 4:06 PM Kivrin was starred Kivrin was unstarred

egg cream
11/10/09

@Triana Orpheus: I disagree. I think it's just as important to be able to think critically about pop culture as it is to be able to think critically about Woolf or Tolstoy, and it's just important to be able to understand how and why we are producing these books/magazines/movies/television shows (and what effect they have on us as a society) as it is to understand how and why we have favelas in Brazil and brutal rape in Congo, or how we are still feeling the effects of World War II and Vietnam in global politics. All culture was pop culture once -- even the books student read as classics now. Why is it any less valuable to understand that books and essays and other media are a product of their time and place while you're in that time and place, instead of hundreds of years or thousands of miles removed? #modelbehaviors
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Triana Orpheus
11/10/09

@egg cream: It isn't of less value when the people who participate in the study and dissection of pop culture are intelligent and thoughtful enough to make it user to society as a whole. If sociology is what you are great at, by all means, go forth and prosper. But you explain to me how a class on supermodel memoirs is going to keep us competive with Japan, China and India.
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Edited by Triana Orpheus at 11/10/09 4:15 PM Triana Orpheus was starred Triana Orpheus was unstarred

DexterHaven
11/10/09

@Triana Orpheus: Well, by that logic the study of literature as a whole is an economic fail.
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Edited by DexterHaven at 11/10/09 4:43 PM DexterHaven was starred DexterHaven was unstarred

Triana Orpheus
11/10/09

@DexterHaven: I say this as a former English major, yes it is. There is a reason why the creative majors are so underpaid. That does not mean they don't add value to our lives, they add immense value. If I didn't have music, I'd go crazy. But the creative arts are subjective and will not affect everyone in the same way. Some piece will be of more value to someone else (which explains the reason why I've never read a single memoir by a celebrity but other people love them). But the scientific and technological advancements that are made can be of use to every single person across the globe and I feel like we're moving away from that and moving more towards classes like this because they're easier. #modelbehaviors
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whynotshesaid
11/10/09

@Triana Orpheus: I doubt the people who are taking this class would have been studying engineering had it not been offered.

I prefer to blame business schools and MBA programs for the downfall of higher education, but that's just me. #modelbehaviors
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Highsmith
11/10/09

In reply to Princeton To Teach Class On Books Written By Models
The only book written by a model I would read, hasn't been written yet. What are you waiting for, Lauren Hutton? #modelbehaviors
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gargle
05/26/09

In reply to A Weekend Of Domestic Violence
I think this just made me realize that my aunt is abusive in a lot of ways towards me. The woman in the last clip especially. My parents are out of my life. My mom (my aunt is her sister) died, and my father abused me so I don't talk to him anymore. I feel like my aunt has been horrible to me ever since my mom died, when I was 22- and I have no brothers or sisters. I thought I was going to get this magical new family made of my aunt and my cousins. And instead she's made it perfectly clear that she can never take care of me or give me a place to stay or even put my stuff. But then she's all manically swing back and say she loves me and shit and want to know everything going on in my life, and I tell her, but then she just makes me feel like all my plans are bad ideas. And if I ever try to call her on it, not just that but all the fucked up stuff she does-- like that she sold my mom's car for half its worth out from under me-- it's be this knock down fight, and she is relentless, and I am just so tired from everything already. And she controls everything. It's like, do this, do that, oh no I changed my mind do this instead. And if you try to do things your way there's a big argument. And it's exactly like that woman said-- she'll literally bring up stuff from when I was five, or two years ago, to make her point about what a terrible person I am. Or she'll skew things. Like I jokingly said about someone a few years ago that they hated me, and she'll say, "People don't like you. You say it yourself all the time." I dunno. This is rambling. But the point is I haven't talked to her at all, and she did e-mail me an apology and I've done that thing I always do and let myself believe I can have a family again, but that clip made me realize that maybe I can't. Because I think she is an abuser. Her sons have lived so far below their potential, and I think she's a big reason.I am still recovering from a six-month long depression that started from one of her soul-gutting conversations, and I'm finally making progress. She just has this way of sucking your soul right out from you. Every time I see her I feel like less of a person. I think she is emotionally abusive and she won't acknowledge it and because she's a woman, one of those 70's feminists, that it's not even in her mindset that she can be abusive.
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♥AntiSocialSocialite♥
05/27/09

@gargle: My father is like that and I haven't spoken to him in almost a year. Find a solid group of friends and people you can trust- and leave your dealings with your aunt to a minimum, if possible.

*hugs*
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Pizza!Pizza!Pizza!
05/27/09

@gargle: That sounds horrible and yes, abusive. I hope you can get out on your own and find or create the new family that you deserve, whether's it's just a circle of friends or a partner who loves you.
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MarissaExplainsItAll
05/26/09

In reply to A Weekend Of Domestic Violence
I used to volunteer at a teen hotline for partner abuse, but found it so draining and my psychological health went downhill as a result. Now, I try to give part of my paycheck to organizations. I have to say, the people who choose to treat abuse victims are some of the strongest people in the world.
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