OT: Rutgers Offers a Course on Bad Bunny's Music and Culture of Puerto Rico

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Knight Shift

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Course delves into Puerto Rican History and Culture. Course was offered after two student who grew up listening to Bad Bunny's music campaigned for the course because of the deeper themes and connections his lyrics draws to the Puerto Rican diaspora


 

Knight Shift

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Rutgers Chris

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Way too below my line. I preferred more rigor in my arts classes. Intro to Theater Appreciation circa 1999. All you had to do was turn in a few ticket stubs to plays, which conveniently enough a few guys in the class sold for $5 each.
 
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NotInRHouse

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Course delves into Puerto Rican History and Culture. Course was offered after two student who grew up listening to Bad Bunny's music campaigned for the course because of the deeper themes and connections his lyrics draws to the Puerto Rican diaspora



This is awesome. As a Spanish major would have taken for sure.
 

LotusAggressor_rivals

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Sorry, but what a f*cking joke! 3 credits for this? How many credits would a course on the study of Sydney Sweeney be worth? ;)
At the very least, it would teach people that Puerto Rico is part of the United States and that Puerto Ricans are American citizens, facts that the loudest critics of Bad Bunny's Super Bowl performance were unaware of.
 

NotInRHouse

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At the very least, it would teach people that Puerto Rico is part of the United States and that Puerto Ricans are American citizens, facts that the loudest critics of Bad Bunny's Super Bowl performance were unaware of.

I knew this before coming to RU and I am sure most of our alums did.

But obviously it bears repeating for the population at large. I think we need a performer from PR/USVI/Guam every year so we get to see who failed HS social studies.
 

Knight Shift

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At the very least, it would teach people that Puerto Rico is part of the United States and that Puerto Ricans are American citizens, facts that the loudest critics of Bad Bunny's Super Bowl performance were unaware of.
He probably did not read. It was taught through the Spanish department, and the course was taught in Spanish. This was detailed in the Hoboken gal link.
Also, there are various courses and programs for various histories, for example, Armenia, which has a longer and more complicated and difficult history. But this is not comparative, just an example.
If anything, the course explored the poor government response after Hurricane Maria in PR. But we have seen failed responses in hurricanes before, namely Katrina in Louisiana and Helen in Western, North Carolina. While each side wants to make score points for their own "team," the reality is with Katrina, the situation was difficult because of epic flooding when dams/levees broke, Western North Carolina being in an isolated mountainous region, and Puerto Rico being an island not connected to the mainland. From at least the aspect of government disaster aid to remote/disconnected areas, seems to be a worthwhile course.
 

tico brown

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I knew this before coming to RU and I am sure most of our alums did.

But obviously it bears repeating for the population at large. I think we need a performer from PR/USVI/Guam every year so we get to see who failed HS social studies.

At the very least, it would teach people that Puerto Rico is part of the United States and that Puerto Ricans are American citizens, facts that the loudest critics of Bad Bunny's Super Bowl performance were unaware of.
You’d be surprised in how many do not know this or more accurately do not care. They consider Puerto Ricans worthless welfare taking pieces of 💩💩 who have done nothing but take everything from “rEaL AmeRiCans” and should be deported no matter what.

Check out some of the comments in the CE.
 

tico brown

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There’s a very interesting story behind how Bacardi, which is originally from Cuba, wound up in Puerto Rico.
You should check out how Domino Sugar became the sugar conglomerate by taking all of the farmlands in Puerto Rico and made it all sugar and all for them in the 1910s, wiping out local agriculture.



I’d recommend the book WAR AGAINST ALL PUERTO RICANS by Nelson Denis if you’re interested in reading about Puerto Rican history since 1898. But no one here would care.
 
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Knight Shift

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You should check out how Domino Sugar became the sugar conglomerate by taking all of the farmlands in Puerto Rico and made it all sugar and all for them in the 1910s, wiping out local agriculture.



I’d recommend the book WAR AGAINST ALL PUERTO RICANS by Nelson Denis if you’re interested in reading about Puerto Rican history since 1898. But no one here would care.

You paint with too broad of a brush. At least 3 poster in this thread counter your no one.
The more information/knowledge that can be disseminated about music, cultures , places, etc the better. It can only help understanding the world we all live in. Americans generally are not that well informed about their own history , music, etc as well as places outside the US.
Yes. Attention spans are shorter. Chopped up and AI generated rage bait serves as information sources to many.
 

Letitrip

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At the very least, it would teach people that Puerto Rico is part of the United States and that Puerto Ricans are American citizens, facts that the loudest critics of Bad Bunny's Super Bowl performance were unaware of.
You have no real evidence of that - Nothing like stereotyping people whose views (or for that matter musical taste) you don't agree with - Typical.
 
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Bueller

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The more information/knowledge that can be disseminated about music, cultures , places, etc the better. It can only help understanding the world we all live in. Americans generally are not that well informed about their own history , music, etc as well as places outside the US.

When history teaching was changed to "social studies" US history got degraded down. The standard and usual is to flip US history into darkness and everyone else is better. I see current history books starting off with rants about "the patriarchy" and environmental destruction. Its no accident education is so bad. Philly, NYC, Baltimore and others testing at 20-30% of grade level and that cant be an accident after the trillions spent.

A lot of Puerto Ricans go into the military and are good citizens. I had a lot of them in my suburban school and they were nice kids. I think the big city kids of all types are often more urbanized to their detriment. More recent Hispanics from South America often see themselves as apart from US city born/raised. They dont easily fit the bins the gov tries to put them in and they even resent it.
 

T2Kplus20

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Way too below my line. I preferred more rigor in my arts classes. Intro to Theater Appreciation circa 1999. All you had to do was turn in a few ticket stubs to plays, which conveniently enough a few guys in the class sold for $5 each.
Remember the most important rule with college, pretty much every major that ends with the word "studies" is complete bull crap.
 

Knight Shift

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Who cares. These kids are adults. It’s a throw away course…if someone wants to spend $4k+ on a BB course for a semester (plus interest from the loans) go for it.
Rutgers has courses in apple judging and forest for protection as electives. But you want to pick on a course on Puerto Rico taught through the Spanish department in Spanish language. Rage on.
 
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MADHAT1

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A check on how Rutgers offers insight to a singer an culture he/she represents is found by googling the subject and a course on Bad Bunny doesn't look that awful
>A Cultural and Musical Survey: Offered by Rutgers Arts Online, this course explores how music associated with rural American life has evolved from 1920s fiddle tunes to modern "hick-hop".
  • Focus on Identity: The curriculum examines the impact of social, political, and cultural contexts on the genre's production and reception, treating country music as a "historical text" to understand American identity.
  • Historical Scope: It covers the genre's 20th-century trajectory and its 21st-century resurgence, investigating the musical implications of its massive commercial success
  • Additionally, the Rutgers History Department offers American Popular Music, which analyzes country music alongside blues and jazz as marks of cultural and political identity<
Remember not to long ago the complaint was about this:
>
Rutgers University (specifically the Honors College) offers a course titled "
B*tch, Smile: Taylor Swift’s Female Rage," taught by Professor Lauren Fanelli Teague in the Writing Program. The class focuses on analyzing Swift's music, lyrics, and cultural impact, with students composing essays and maintaining a "tortured poets journal".
Key Details About the Course:
  • Focus Areas: The course delves into literature, psychology, sociology, and women and gender studies through the lens of Taylor Swift's career.
  • Activities: Students engage in critical analysis,, writing, and, based on broader trends in such courses, potentially exploring themes of songwriting and media studies.
  • Context: This is part of a larger trend of universities examining popular music, with other courses focusing on topics like the "Psychology of Taylor Swift" at other institutions.
The course is designed for those interested in exploring the intersection of popular music and academic, social, and literary themes<

Seems like Rutgers isn't the lone Ranger when it comes to courses involving celebrities in the news and courses covering them have been going on for years at various Universities
> The University of South Carolina offered a course called “Lady Gaga and the Sociology of the Fame” in spring of 2011, taught by professor/Little Monster Mathieu Deflem, who also penned the book of the same name. Aimed less at examining Gaga as a person and more at discussing her role as a social phenomenon, the course analyzed sociologically relevant aspects of her music, videos, fashion and more.<

 

Anon1753438667

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Jul 25, 2025
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Rutgers has courses in apple judging and forest for protection as electives. But you want to pick on a course on Puerto Rico taught through the Spanish department in Spanish language. Rage on.

Methinks you didn’t actually read my post but it’s ok…
 

Knight Shift

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Methinks you didn’t actually read my post but it’s ok…
I read it just fine, me thinks you don't understand my reply. We actually agree.

You said: "Who cares. These kids are adults. It’s a throw away course…if someone wants to spend $4k+ on a BB course for a semester (plus interest from the loans) go for it. "

Translation: If someone wants to spend $4K+ on an elective course to broaden their horizons or take an easier course, there are plenty of other choices.

The rage on part was for all the people angry at a course that involves Bad Bunny as part of a wider course on the culture of Puerto Rico.
 
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RUGuitarMan1

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When history teaching was changed to "social studies" US history got degraded down. The standard and usual is to flip US history into darkness and everyone else is better. I see current history books starting off with rants about "the patriarchy" and environmental destruction. Its no accident education is so bad. Philly, NYC, Baltimore and others testing at 20-30% of grade level and that cant be an accident after the trillions spent.

A lot of Puerto Ricans go into the military and are good citizens. I had a lot of them in my suburban school and they were nice kids. I think the big city kids of all types are often more urbanized to their detriment. More recent Hispanics from South America often see themselves as apart from US city born/raised. They dont easily fit the bins the gov tries to put them in and they even resent it.
I think you’re making a lot of generalized and somewhat stereotypical and politicized criticisms. Personally I don’t think US history has ever been taught well , be it called Social Studies or something else. There has been a shallowness and at times a varnished telling of the past. We shouldn’t be fearful of telling some of the flawed and ignominious aspects as well as the very high ideals and achiements of our past. I’m currently reading an excellent book, Cuba: An American History by Ada Ferrer. It documents the history and evolution of Cuba and its long and complicated history with the US. More people in the US should read it. It’s good to have your views challenged and expanded.
 

bac2therac

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Jul 30, 2001
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A check on how Rutgers offers insight to a singer an culture he/she represents is found by googling the subject and a course on Bad Bunny doesn't look that awful
>A Cultural and Musical Survey: Offered by Rutgers Arts Online, this course explores how music associated with rural American life has evolved from 1920s fiddle tunes to modern "hick-hop".
  • Focus on Identity: The curriculum examines the impact of social, political, and cultural contexts on the genre's production and reception, treating country music as a "historical text" to understand American identity.
  • Historical Scope: It covers the genre's 20th-century trajectory and its 21st-century resurgence, investigating the musical implications of its massive commercial success
  • Additionally, the Rutgers History Department offers American Popular Music, which analyzes country music alongside blues and jazz as marks of cultural and political identity<
Remember not to long ago the complaint was about this:
>
Rutgers University (specifically the Honors College) offers a course titled "
B*tch, Smile: Taylor Swift’s Female Rage," taught by Professor Lauren Fanelli Teague in the Writing Program. The class focuses on analyzing Swift's music, lyrics, and cultural impact, with students composing essays and maintaining a "tortured poets journal".
Key Details About the Course:
  • Focus Areas: The course delves into literature, psychology, sociology, and women and gender studies through the lens of Taylor Swift's career.
  • Activities: Students engage in critical analysis,, writing, and, based on broader trends in such courses, potentially exploring themes of songwriting and media studies.
  • Context: This is part of a larger trend of universities examining popular music, with other courses focusing on topics like the "Psychology of Taylor Swift" at other institutions.
The course is designed for those interested in exploring the intersection of popular music and academic, social, and literary themes<

Seems like Rutgers isn't the lone Ranger when it comes to courses involving celebrities in the news and courses covering them have been going on for years at various Universities
> The University of South Carolina offered a course called “Lady Gaga and the Sociology of the Fame” in spring of 2011, taught by professor/Little Monster Mathieu Deflem, who also penned the book of the same name. Aimed less at examining Gaga as a person and more at discussing her role as a social phenomenon, the course analyzed sociologically relevant aspects of her music, videos, fashion and more.<

Those are all just as bad
 
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Bueller

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I think you’re making a lot of generalized and somewhat stereotypical and politicized criticisms. Personally I don’t think US history has ever been taught well , be it called Social Studies or something else. There has been a shallowness and at times a varnished telling of the past. We shouldn’t be fearful of telling some of the flawed and ignominious aspects as well as the very high ideals and achiements of our past. I’m currently reading an excellent book, Cuba: An American History by Ada Ferrer. It documents the history and evolution of Cuba and its long and complicated history with the US. More people in the US should read it. It’s good to have your views challenged and expanded.

The term "American Exceptionalism" doesn't refer to the quality of the people per se. Its about the fact that the US is the only country set-up to be governed by (and not simply for) the people. That is why there is 1st and 2nd amendment and more. If citizens aren't allowed self defense then they aren't in charge.

NY Times ran a history project that was fraudulent. Truth is Western Civ ended slavery that went on for 1000s of years. Teaching that US was founded for slavery (in NA before there was an America) is worse than an "error." All people are sinners/flawed to some degree so there are always issues in societies but America has been exceptional for self-correcting. People in general have no idea how barbaric and degrading history was for 1000s of years. Before capitalism evolved people got rich killing and brutalizing each other in societies flush with top down cruelty. I would hate to see all that come back but it would be interesting for the schadenfreude. Peeps don't know what they had until they lost it. Europe is on that path.,
 

Nyagentman

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Course delves into Puerto Rican History and Culture. Course was offered after two student who grew up listening to Bad Bunny's music campaigned for the course because of the deeper themes and connections his lyrics draws to the Puerto Rican diaspora


There is a reason universities are losing students! Offering garbage classes and charging huge tuition is one of the reasons!
 
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