Following in the footsteps of Beyonce, a New York state college will offer a Sociology course that focuses on studying pop star Miley Cyrus.
The course is titled The Sociology of Miley Cyrus: Race, Class, Gender and Media and offered at Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, New York.
Visiting Assistant Professor of Sociology Carolyn Chernoff, who will teach the course, told The Saratogian, “I was teaching a course called Youth Culture in and out of School, and the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards (VMA) became the twerk heard ’round the world. I showed that video to my class, and the students had so much to say.”
The AP notes the course will take a broader look at topics including gender, race, economic class, fame, power, oppression, equalization and more.
Chernoff compared Cyrus’ career to that of Janet Jackson’s after her “wardrobe malfunction” incident with Justin Timberlake during the Super Bowl halftime show back in 2004. Timberlake’s career skyrocketing after it while Jackson’s suffered.
“Miley is sometimes seen as a wild, terrible she-beast,” explained Chernoff. “After the VMA performance, this young woman was seen as the end of all times.”
She also noted other former Disney stars like Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera who have had to market themselves as extremely sexual to shed their wholesome image, which fits into the “whole virgin/whore dichotomy.”