Bird course or stealth professors?
The Univeristy of British Columbia, in Okanagan, Canada, has developed a new course for students based on soccer/football phenomenon Cristiano Ronaldo. What? So you’re saying there’s a class available where you can watch Real Madrid soccer games, ogle the hot stuff, and get credit for it? How does that contribute to my education? I’m not complaining one bit.
The professor and creator of the course, Luis Aguiar, states that he thought of the idea last summer during the World Cup. The attention and social behaviours revolving around Ronaldo got his attention and a lightbulb went off.
“What makes him special is that he has visibility beyond the football world. He has cultural appeal, he has sex appeal, he has influence in cultural looks, and he takes very good care of himself in order to portray a certain look that goes beyond the footballing fan,” Luis states.
Aguiar’s idea goes beyond the football stars skills and good looks. He’s using Cristiano and a model for topics such as, global citizenship, celebrity and sociological impact, the sociological relevance of organized sport, and celebrity and national identity.
This isn’t the first time celebrities have been the topic of an undergraduate course. Stars such as The Beatles, U2, Madonna, Lady Gaga, Beyonce, Jay Z, David Beckham, and Bruce Springsteen all have had classes in their honor as well. Students study them in relation to violence, economic opportunity, sexuality, standards of beauty, and creative self-expression. Michael Jackson alone helped to revolutionize legal practices related to entertainment copyrights, trademarks, licenses and more.
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