Forum: Taylor Swift (Arkansas' Version)
FORUM: Taylor Swift (Arkansas' Version)/HNRS 300H1-004
Wednesday 12:30-1:45 P.M., FALL 2024, GEAR 129
Note: This is a one-credit course. Only register for one hour of course credit.
Application Deadline: Sunday, March 10 at 11:59 p.m.
“Who’s Taylor Swift Anyway?”
The question sequined onto Swift’s t-shirt—one of forty costumes utilized in her Eras
Tour—rings ironic after her career that has spanned 17 years, 10 albums, and numerous
awards. But as much as Swift has occupied popular culture, her work has only recently
taken hold in the academic world.
That’s where this class comes in! As a co-editor of a new volume of essays on Taylor
Swift, I’m interested in bringing fans and scholars together to think about Swift’s
music and what it can tell us about ourselves and our world. I look forward to bringing
this conversation to the University of Arkansas.
Whether you are a dedicated Swiftie or have questions about all the hype, students
in this forum will be cultivating discussions around three areas of Swiftian inquiry.
First, we will learn the tools that scholars use to form an interpretation of her
songs. This might be different than fan theories and sleuthing, but can lead to new
and exciting understandings of her music. Second, we will learn how to assess Swift’s
music from a cultural perspective, analyzing and contextualizing her music, her career,
and the narratives surrounding her work. And third, we will utilize Swift as a window
into contemporary issues, exploring her work to comment on identity formation, international
fans, social media, the music industry, and more. And of course, through it all we
will listen to her music, watch her videos, and soak up her performances.
About Christa Bentley:
Christa Bentley, assistant professor of musicology, Department of Music, Fulbright College of Arts
and Sciences. Bentley's research focuses on the politics of music at the intersection
of American folk music and popular song, specifically the singer-songwriter movement
in the 1970s. She is also co-editor of a collected volume on contemporary singer-songwriter
Taylor Swift, a book that examines her songs, her stardom, and her fans.