Euphoria! Eurovision is now a degree course at the University of Melbourne
Australia wants students to 'acquire an in-depth knowledge of the history of Europe through the prism of the Eurovision Song Contest'
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Your support makes all the difference.For those of us still scraping off all the glitter and only now awaking from the sticky pool of two-week old cava, there is some good news at last for Eurovision fans counting down the 300 odd days until the next fabulous extravaganza.
The University of Melbourne, already a reputable institution, is about to become even more so for legions of European music fans and camp spectacle lovers after it introduced a new first-year subject, "Eurovisions." The subject, offered by the Faculty of Arts this year between July and October, comes after Australia took part in its first (and last) Eurovision Song Contest to celebrate the competition's 60th anniversary.
This year's contest was won by Sweden's Mans Zelmerlow for his song, "Heroes." It was Sweden’s sixth Eurovision win. Australia came fifth with 196 points.
The Eurovision course entails a one-and-a-half-hour lecture and a one-hour tutorial each week, totalling 170 hours of Eurovision teaching joy. With each Eurovision Song Contest lasting for about three hours, in that much contact time you could watch 56 of the last 60 events.
In a statement on the course, the University of Melbourne writes, "The subject looks at Europe through the powerful prism of the Eurovision Song Contest. We explore fundamental issues important to understanding Europe, such as the rise of the European Union, European integration and expansion, nation branding, as well as the rise of English, and the expression of cultural and social diversity in all its forms."
The university ends the paragraph with the sassy line, "Oh yeah and then there is also the music..."
The course also uncovers topics such as language, culture, diversity, the national and the transnational, as well as issues of gender and sexuality.
Professors Alison Lewis and John Hajek, who lead the course, hope to ensure all students "acquire an in-depth knowledge of the history and development of Europe through the prism of the Eurovision Song Contest".
You could avoid enrolling at university and just get tipsy at a gay bar when Eurovision 2016 starts in Sweden. You'll definitely get your money's worth.
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