從僵尸研究到碧昂絲政治學：全球最另類的大學課程

趙青奇

大學四年，誰都上過幾門無聊透頂的課，當這些課貼著“必修”的標簽，就更讓人痛苦又無奈。不過，如果你的大學課程是關于碧昂斯，關于貝克漢姆，關于哈利·波特，關于真人秀節目，那你還會瞌睡連連嗎？這些都是某些國外大學真正開設的課程。如此與時俱進又接地氣的課程，想必沒有幾個人會翹課吧？

Forget law or medicine—Pennsylvania University has just launched a course in “wasting time on the internet1）.” Yes really. This rigorous-sounding intellectual series involves students communicating with each other for three hours a week via social media and chat rooms only， with the subsequent conversations contributing towards “substantial works of literature.” And we thought Biochemistry was difficult ...

Amazingly， Pennsylvania is not alone in dreaming up a zany2） （and suspiciously non-academic-sounding） course option. From the study of David Beckham to the existential meaning of fat， here are nine university courses that may not get you a job， but would definitely make for entertaining lectures ...

忘掉法學或醫學吧——賓夕法尼亞大學剛剛推出了一門關于“在網上虛度光陰”的課程。沒錯，真事兒！上這門聽上去很嚴謹并費腦筋的課程時，學生每周只需要通過社交媒體和聊天室交流三個小時，由此產生的對話要有助于形成“言之有物的文學作品”。我們過去還以為生物化學課很難……

令人驚訝的是，想出這種奇葩（而且聽起來疑似與學術無關的）課程的高校并非賓夕法尼亞大學一所。從大衛·貝克漢姆研究到脂肪的存在意義，本文介紹的九門大學課程可能不會幫你謀到工作，但課堂上絕對妙趣橫生。

碧昂絲政治學

We can think of many people whod happily watch Beyonce and her bootilicious3） moves for free—let alone get credits for it. But her sultry4） videos and lyrics now carry the potential of academic prowess5） thanks to New Jerseys Rutgers University and its Politicizing Beyonce course.

Not quite as easy as it first seems， students must compare Beyonce to the work of authors/activists Alice Walker6） and Sojourner Truth7）. Still， any excuse to watch “Single Ladies （Put a Ring on It）8）” on re-loop ...

想來，很多人樂意不花錢就可一睹碧昂絲的風采和她那撩人的舞姿——更別提還能因此獲得學分了。但現在，碧昂絲的那些勁爆視頻和歌詞也具有了潛在的學術價值，這多虧了新澤西州羅格斯大學及其開設的“碧昂絲政治學”一課。

這門課并沒有乍看上去那么容易，學生要將碧昂絲與作家兼活動家艾麗斯·沃克和索杰納·特魯斯的作品進行比較。不過，這下想要循環觀看《單身女郎（定情戒）》就不愁沒有借口了……

辛普森一家與哲學

Touted9） as a “fairly rigorous” course， this two-unit class at the prestigious University of California at Berkeley examines the hit cartoon series through the eyes of Nietzsche， Plato and more—asking weighty questions such as what does Homers infamous Doh10） utterance really say about his existential self？ Is Marges voluminous hair life-affirming11） or a symbol of the degradation of society？ Or so we imagine ...

美國名校加州大學伯克利分校推出的這門兩學分的課程標榜稱“相當嚴謹”，該課程從尼采、柏拉圖等眾多哲人的視角剖析這部熱播動畫片，提出一些重要問題，比如：霍默那句盡人皆知的口頭禪“噢”究竟是如何表達他的存在主義自我？瑪姬的濃密長發是傳達著積極向上的含義，還是象征著社會的衰退？或者這些是我們的假設……

大衛·貝克漢姆

This 12-week module at Staffordshire University was offered as part of the BA in Sports， Media and Culture， and included heavyweight topics such as Becks ever-evolving hairstyles， the state of his marriage to Posh and his status “as the object of a great many fantasies.” Thats certainly one text book wed enjoy leafing through.

這門為期12周的課程是英國史塔?？ご髮W體育、傳媒與文化學士項目的一部分，涵蓋了不少重要話題，比如小貝不斷變化的發型、他與時髦辣妹的婚姻狀況以及他“作為萬千幻想對象”的地位。這門課的教材我們肯定會喜歡翻閱的。

僵尸研究

We enjoy a good zombie movie as much as the next person， but if you really have a thing for12） animated corpses， head to the University of Baltimore where a dedicated course allows students to “get ready for a zombie apocalypse13）” by writing horror scripts， watching zombie flicks and drawing storyboards of their ideal monster movies. Gold star for the killer14） idea.

好看的僵尸電影人人都愛，但如果你真的對活死尸情有獨鐘，不妨前往巴爾的摩大學。該校專門開設了一門課程，讓學生撰寫恐怖題材的劇本、觀看僵尸電影、繪制他們心中理想的鬼怪電影的故事梗概板，以此讓他們“準備好迎接一場僵尸大戰”。這個絕妙的主意該發金星獎章一枚。

肥胖研究

The term “chewing the fat19）” takes on a whole new meaning with this course offered by George Washington University in the US. The class examines concepts of fatness and obesity through the realm of film， literature， anthropology and history， throwing the “cultural baggage” of overweight people firmly into the spotlight.

“磨嘴皮子”這個俗語因為美國喬治·華盛頓大學推出的這門課程而呈現出完全嶄新的含義。該課程從電影、文學、人類學和歷史的領域研究肥胖的概念，將胖人的“文化包袱”牢牢地置于公眾視野的焦點中。

論戰法官朱迪

If you find yourself screaming at the TV at the sheer injustice of Judge Judy15） and the like， its time to enroll at the University of California， where Arguing with Judge Judy： Popular “Logic” on TV Shows will allow a channel for your frustrations. The course picks apart16） popular logical fallacies17） on reality TV shows， examining why the small-screen audiences decide on the concepts of social justice that they do. Sadly， it hasnt got as far as Jeremy Kyle18） yet but where theres life， theres hope.

如果你因為《法官朱迪》這類節目里的全然不公現象對著電視機怒吼，那么你是時候入讀加州大學了，這里的“論戰法官朱迪：電視節目里的大眾‘邏輯”這門課可以給你提供吐槽失望的渠道。該課程針對真人秀節目里的大眾邏輯硬傷挑刺，探究為什么電視觀眾對于何為社會公正做出他們那樣的決定。遺憾的是，課程還沒有達到杰里米·凱爾那樣的程度。不過，只要這門課存在就有戲。

嘎嘎小姐與名氣社會學

In no small boast to the stars ego， Lady Gaga has been awarded her very own degree course at the University of South Carolina. Run by what sounds suspiciously like a Gaga groupie20） masquerading21） as a college tutor （Professor Mathieu Deflem has been to see the singer in concert 30 times）， the unit gets students to “engage in substantiated scholarly thinking” on Gagas meteoric22） rise to fame. Then they all dance in the lecture theatre aisles to her greatest hits （or so we like to think）.

嘎嘎小姐在南卡羅來納大學擁有了一門關于她本人的學位課程，這對這位歌星來說是非常值得夸耀的一件事。上這門課的大學老師聽起來很像是嘎嘎的狂熱粉絲假扮而成（馬蒂厄·德弗蘭教授看過30場嘎嘎的演唱會），課上學生要對嘎嘎的迅速走紅“進行實質性學術思考”。然后，他們會在階梯教室的過道里伴著嘎嘎最火的歌曲一起跳舞（或者我們愿意這么想）。

哈利·波特與幻想時代

If youre a muggle23） who wants to be a wizard， prepare for a disappointment. The Harry Potter and the Age of Illusion module， available as part of the BA in Education Studies at Durham University， doesnt teach spells and Quidditch24）—instead the series of 22 lectures and 11 seminars looks at how J. K. Rowlings novels reflect prejudice and citizenship in modern society. Not quite as thrilling as Hogwarts， but a good excuse to re-visit the books.

如果你是個想當巫師的麻瓜，還是做好失望的準備吧。英國杜倫大學教育研究學士項目所包含的“哈利·波特與幻想時代”這門課不教咒語和魁地奇——而是通過22次講座和11次研討會來探究J. K. 羅琳的系列小說如何反映現代社會的偏見和公民身份。盡管這門課不及霍格沃茲魔法學校的課程那么刺激，卻提供了一個重溫小說的好理由。

水下編籃子

Contrary to what the name suggests， you dont need a divers license to enroll on this module. Offered at a range of universities in the US， including the Reed College of Portland and the University of California， it involves crafting baskets by dipping them in water and letting them soak. Recently， the term “underwater basket weaving” has come into usage to refer to a course thats deemed to be worthless—which were sure holders of the qualification appreciate.

與課程名字所暗示的相反，上這門課你并不需要潛水執照。包括波特蘭的里德學院和加州大學在內的美國眾多高校都開設這門課，課程內容是將籃子浸在水中濕透后再來編。近來，“水下編籃子”這個說法開始被用來指人們認為沒有價值的課程——相信手里持有該資格證書的人都能心領神會。