SOC 113 - Taylor Swift and Society

This course will introduce students to sociological concepts of gender, race and class through an

analysis of the social impact of Taylor Swift. In the last few years, Taylor Swift has emerged as

a nearly monocultural global phenomena. Named Time Person of the Year 2023, the international

superstar is credited for revitalizing economies across cities where she performs her record-breaking Eras Tour. She is the first artist in history to win the coveted “Album of the Year” award at the Grammy awards four times. Over the course of nearly two decades of superstardom, Swift has amassed a massive army of fans, colloquially known as “Swifties,” with whom she regularly interacts via social media platforms like X and TikTok, and via secret “easter eggs” in her music and public appearances. Swift has tremendous influence over this population, and she has on occasion used this influence to encourage voting behavior among young people. Her music connects with people across national and generational boundaries, and she defies genres and convention to emphasize intimate storytelling that feels timeless to her most ardent listeners.

Critics of Swift span across the political spectrum. Throughout her career, Swift has faced criticisms and challenges as a woman in a position of power and influence. Increasingly in recent years, critics are concerned about the lack of intersectionality in her feminist messaging, and her proximity to white privilege. Others still are concerned about her billionaire status, exploitative merchandize production, predatory marketing strategies, and excessive use of private jet to disproportionately contribute to climate change.

Cultural discourse on one or more of these aspects of Swift is almost always ongoing on social media spaces, giving us a unique opportunity to understand her appeal and her critics from a sociological lens. In this course we will engage with matters of fandom, social media, gender, race and class to understand a core element of popular culture in 2024.

Satisfies Sociology  major requirement
Satisfies Social and Scientific Thought requirement.