Self-identified Swiftie scholars enrolled at Rice University will soon put their Taylor Swift trivia to the test.
The music-minded students lucky enough to secure a spot in “Miss Americana: Lyrics and Evolution of Taylor Swift” will spend a semester analyzing Swift’s discography.
Recommended Videos
A description of the class reads: “Hailed as the ‘Songwriter of the Decade,’ Taylor Swift has been at the forefront of pop culture for years, making her an enduring presence in a fast-paced industry. The name itself brings both appeal and aversions, yet what really shines about the star is her songwriting. Through close readings of her music, alongside considerations of her public discourse, this class will be a seminar discussing the nuances of her lyrics. Using a chronological approach, this course will spend time on each one of her 10 albums. We’ll consider a broad range of topics, including: femininity and gender; social media and public opinion; politics and social impact; fiction and nonfiction; American nationalism and whiteness; and finally, family and feuds. We therefore aim to answer the question: What does Taylor Swift’s songwriting evolution say about her own personal growth surrounding public discourse? Instruction will be provided in lecture, discussion, and audiovisual formats. Knowledge will be evaluated with short written responses, participation in class discussions, and a final essay analyzing a song of your choosing.”
Rice’s “Miss Americana” class follows a swath of Taylor Swift tutorials offered at academic institutions across the country. The University of Texas made headlines last year with its Swift-centric course “Literary Contests and Contexts — The Taylor Swift Songbook.”