Fans and academics alike, take note: The University of Tennessee (UT) is set to meld pop culture punditry with scholarly scrutiny through a new class dedicated to none other than Taylor Swift. Come fall, students can dive into "Gender/Media (Taylor's Version)," dissecting the songstress's influence on everything from gender and media to the ethics of the music industry, reports The Daily Beacon.
According to WATE, the mastermind behind the course, cinema studies professor Darcey Morris, sees Swift's career as a case study to understand broader cultural phenomena. "I think it's even a level of fame that she was not expecting and is trying to make sense of herself: The economic impact that she had with the Era's Tour and is still having; the fact that world leaders were begging her to come to their countries to bring some of that revenue to them," Morris told WATE.
This isn't just a superfandom frenzy. The curriculum is designed to engage with critical thinking and apply rigorous academic analysis to the "Shake It Off" singer's body of work. From music videos and documentaries to Swift's social media strategy, the course promises to unpack the megastar's impact on notions of race, sexuality, and feminism.
It seems the university's students are ready to enthusiastically embrace the Swiftian syllabus. The class has reportedly reached full capacity faster than one can shake a stick at, and there's already a substantial waitlist clamoring for a spot. "There has been so much student enthusiasm for the class that the waitlist is longer than the number of students that can be accepted into the class," Morris explained, as per Partnershipmedia. One thing's clear: Swift's ability to to create seismic shifts extends beyond the concert stage.
Touching upon the universal appeal of Swift's music, Morris highlights her narrative prowess in relating experiences from "girlhood to womanhood." "Taylor Swift is telling the stories of girlhood into womanhood in her songs," Morris recounted in an interview with WATE, emphasizing the emotional resonance and sincerity Swift brings to her music.
Moreover, the "Cardigan" singer's cultural clout isn't confined to album sales and chart-topping hits. Swift has used her platform to influence political engagement, with a single post hiking up Vote.org's web traffic by a staggering 1,226% in an hour, furthering the intrigue in studying her influence. Swift's reach, it appears, goes from shaking up stereotypes to shaking the pillars of democracy.
