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Study The Wire At Harvard  November 2, 2009

First an Australian University implements a mandatory Twitter course and now Harvard (yes that Harvard) are offering courses on The Wire? It's like a degree in Life majoring in shit you should already know about.

But seriously, unlike Twitter, studying The Wire is actually a good thing. The Wire is deep, mad deep - an unflinching look at the ramifications of urban decay that doesn't forgo realism or sheer entertainment. It's Barack Obama's favourite show, Jonathan Zawada's too, same for our boss Chris. In short, if ever there was a show worth studying it's The Wire.

The Harvard Crimson reports:

'At a panel last night, stars of the HBO hit series joined Harvard professors in discussing the applications of the show—which depicts the struggles of urban life in Baltimore—in understanding and combating real urban social issues.

'"The Wire' has done more to enhance our understanding of the systemic urban inequality that constrains the lives of the poor than any published study' Sociology Professor William J. Wilson said.

African American studies chair Professor Evelyn B. Higginbotham said that there would be a new course in which Wilson will use 'The Wire' as a case study for poverty in America.

Can we stop for a moment here to acknowledge how ridiculous the following eight words are? African American studies chair Professor Evelyn B. Higginbotham. We can only assume that Professor Evelyn B. Higginbotham's favourite activities are collecting tweed pantsuits, devising ways to elongate her name, ripping bongs and zoning out to The Wire.