Are you a true Swiftie? New York University is offering an entire course on Taylor Swift
Heads, up Swifties: The New York University (NYU) Clive Davis Institute is offering an entire course on Taylor Swift.
The 3-month class will tackle the life and legacy of the prolific 32-year-old artist, from her country music origins to her evolution as a music industry name. The course will also take on discussions about youth and prodigies through Swift's lens, and "politics of race in contemporary popular music."
Per Variety, the Course Objective is as follows:
- "Students will develop an understanding and appreciation for Taylor Swift as a creative music entrepreneur
- Students will learn to deconstruct the way her creativity and songwriting have made her a durable presence in a quickly evolving music industry
- Students will learn about the legacy of pop and country songwriters that have influenced Swift as well as the discourses around 'prodigies' in pop music history
- Students will gain an understanding of how discourses of youth and girlhood are often exploited in the media and music industries
- Students will learn about the politics of race in contemporary popular music, and to interrogate whiteness as it relates to Swift’s politics, songwriting, worldview and interactions with the wider cultural world around her
- Students will develop greater sophistication in their artistic appreciation, critical thinking, research and writing skills."
The Taylor Swift Course started from Jan. 26 to March 9 and is taught by Rolling Stones' writer Brittany Spanos, a longtime music journalist and cultural commentator.
Clive Davis Institute chair and veteran musician Jason King called the program a "no-brainer" in order to "get students to think more deeply about [Swift] and her music through the lens of gender, feminism, race, and class, and other categories related to identity."
"That deeper thinking is what this program is all about."
Spanos has also been Tweeting about her experience teaching the class.
"my official comment is that my students already rule and I am very excited for the rest of the class xo," the writer shared on Feb. 3.
for all those waiting on updates on how the taylor class is going, i played dear john more than once and went on a too long tangent about gaga’s 2009 vma performance (i promise i had a point)
— brittany spanos (@ohheybrittany) February 3, 2022
Meanwhile, Swift herself has been asked to speak in the class with no confirmation just yet.