An MA in Queer History (as of Sept 17’) and a proposed national queer archive to be created, this is what Goldsmiths – aka a liberals dream – are all about.
[Just so you know] this will be the first specialist postgrad degree in the subject and because why not MA peeps?
The course itself will mainly veer towards the study of the earlier modern ideas surrounding the nature of homosexuality in the Victorian period and society. It will analyse “historically binary categories, such as male/female, heterosexuality/homosexuality, active/passive, and uncover the processes through which these categories came to be seen as ‘natural’,” Jan Plamper who will run the course said.
“The persecution of LGBTQ people in many parts of the world is acute and worsening, despite huge strides in equality elsewhere. Such injustice is fed by ignorance and there is an urgent need to counter this through insight and understanding,” Goldsmiths Head of History (the department the course will be in), Dr Vivienne Richmond added.
But, having you know attended the SE uni for over a year now myself, you start to notice things that aren’t universally considered university are smashed up at Gsmiths. To begin with, it was interesting and freshers curiosity took over (just you wait 2016′ newbies, you will hit up the Amersham like nobody’s business), but now all the odd things like washing lines and tents on the green / strange parades of arty embodiment that fill the corridors and spill into your lectures becomes yo’ normal academic experience – it’s so much better. Many a day can I recall when veganism and glitter could be spotted near everyone on campus and/or a faint rainbow purely caused by liberalism had developed somewhere on site (see below) – which let’s be honest isn’t the most common occurrence.
The uni actually specialises in design, arts, english and social sciences (basically it doesn’t really have too much interest in the non-creative). Most people support some kind of niche theory about modernism / feminism / socialism and the L bomb (that being liberalism). It contributes to the growing popularity of the institute indefinitely, this isn’t to say you have to study or feel intense need to drop the ‘ism’ in most question answers, because you don’t.
Occasionally you’ll find a peaceful protest a’brewing and of course an example being the classic (or soon to be classic) 2016 Goldsmiths #cuttherent / end austerity which campaigned for students against soaring rent costs – yo be doing a good thing, save students a lil’.
Visual things attract attention, a Goldsmiths future tip.
When arriving on the single site campus in New Cross, the 80’s are brought into the 21st century (or maybe even further) in thinking and attitudes. The same liberalist ideas and vintage rolled up trousers, shiny adidas zip-up (bought at Camden or Mile End) and grubby pair of Nike-air forces, but the thing is it’s all super chill…
“Going to university is a different experience in London, then going to university at Goldsmiths is again a completely different experience all together,” one student known as G told me.
I mean Goldsmith has a bit of a rep as a haven for the leftie / liberalist enthusiast, renown for its creativity and forward thinking. With students from over 140 countries, everyone is accepted and embraced and not to mention encouraged in their ideas.
Another student though mentioned, “I feel like sometimes it promotes ‘liberalism’ for the sake of reputation despite some of its biggest promoters not being very liberal themselves..”
Dropping the L bomb once more.
He then added, “it is such an accepting atmosphere, everyone gets on and people would never criticise others for being a certain way – I wouldn’t change it.”
It seems the character here is infectious and creativity spreads throughout its students.
“Goldsmiths has a distinct kind of energy. It’s one that stimulates. And it’s one thats stirs,” Goldsmiths. Super out there, but really it is. So I don’t think any students were that surprised when an MA in Queer History was announced, we were more just waiting for applications to open. Why not explore and try to make sense of something which is now bundled into our history?
“Not crazy surprised, but think it’s amazing,” G told me..
Professor Plamper on the QH topic added: “Through the study of history we can observe how LGBTQ narratives have developed across time, and critically explore the roots of the community.
Sounds pretty cool right, trying to find the foundations of the gay society? Just Goldsmiths being ahead of the game in it.. The MA is a first on developing modern ideas and statements on homosexuality, but what else is to come Gsmiths?
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