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When Michael died, there were a bazillion “tribute” articles that rehashed all the controversies of his life, and a genuine few that actually paid decent homage to his contributuons to music and his cultural legacy. But precious few that actually acknowledged him as someone worthy of academic respect. This piece by Jennifer Viegas was one of the brief but notable exceptions:Pop star Michael Jackson, who died one year ago this week, not only changed music and pop culture, but he also impacted engineering, law, medicine, psychology and other academic fields, according to a Texas Tech University pop culture expert.Rob Weiner, a pop-culture author and associate librarian in the Texas Tech Libraries, recently helped compile a bibliographic guide for a special issue of The Journal of Pan African Studies showing Jackson’s influence into the often dusty halls of academia.The list of scholarly papers and peer-reviewed articles, culled from more than 100 databases, found the King of Pop referenced in psychology, medical, chemistry, mass communications and even engineering journals.For instance, researchers used Jackson to critique the media’s handling of criminal cases. A 911 call made by Jackson prompted an article in Fire Engineering journal, while a British Medical Journal piece written after Jackson’s death discussed ethical issues that arise when a patient is more powerful than the attending physician. ( I am fairly certain that the 911 call she is referring to is actually a reference to the 911 call placed by Alberto Alvarez, not by Michael Jackson)-my note.One chemistry professor argued that reframing popular songs such as “Billie Jean” could help students understand difficult chemistry concepts.“I knew that Jackson permeated pop culture, but academics can be kind of snooty about what they choose to study,” Weiner said. “The fact that someone would take a Michael Jackson song and co-opt it as a means to convey chemistry concepts just shows the pervasiveness of Jackson’s influence.”
Just accidentally came upon this thread again. Thanks Sim for this inspiring video! If only people really knew who this man they snicker about and shake their heads in pity, is. I think at one point someone says the movie The curious case of Benjamin Button, was written with MJ in mind. Hmm... :affraid:
Thanks Sim and to you all ....is hard for me to translate, laborious and long :Crash: but then is really a joy !!! :bearhug: :icon_e_smile:
Video maker's comment:30/Jun/09: A brilliant conversation with two of America's most recognized critics on Michael Jackson's cultural and social impact both globally and specifically for Black people. "Michael Jackson fundamentally altered the terms of the debate about African American music. He was a chocolate, cherubic-faced genius with an African American halo. He was a kid who was capable of embodying all of the high possibilities and the deep griefs that besieged the African American psyche... for America to miss that is to miss the fact that Michael Jackson argued against the very deep and profound bowels of White supremacy in the belly of American political culture... The reality is Michael Jackson's humanity is so deep, the implications and inferences of his art so monumentally and magnificently global, that nothing American television could do to besmirch his character could ever, if you will, deny the legitimate genius that he represents"[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=meI_i7D4Lhw&feature=share[/youtube]