Taylor Swift at KU


Taylor Swift Courses

TS 101: The Academic Lore of Taylor Swift

Expected Fall 2025 

Undergraduate course in the KU Common Core. 

Multiple instructors

Gender, Public Policy, and the Economy

(LSW 494; PUAD 494, 839, 853; WSGG 396, 696; ECON 310, 780)

Spring 2025

All levels

Misty Heggeness, associate professor of public affairs & administration, research scientists, Institute for Policy & Social Research, and co-director, Kansas Population Center

The Sociological Introduction: The Sociology of Taylor Swift

(SOC 200, HNRS 190)

Brian Donovan, professor of sociology

From Marilyn & Joe to Taylor & Travis: Media coverage of celebrity-athlete relationships

JMC 201

When we think of power couples, we tend to think about the political, financial, and entertainment industries. However in myriad societies, sports play an outsized role in shaping all of those sectors. This course analyzes notable celebrity-athlete couples throughout history, more specifically exploring how media coverage of these relationships informs our understandings of various cultural norms in numerous societies around the world.

Steve Bien-Aimé, assistant professor of journalism

Decoding Taylor Swift: Songcraft, Storytelling, and Branding

MUSC 313

This course explores the artistry and career of Taylor Swift. It encompasses an analysis of her approaches to songwriting, performing, and producing as well as her approaches to marketing within the music business and the broader entertainment industry.

Kerry Marsh, director of Jazz Singers and Vocal Jazz Lab


Taylor Swift Speaker Series

Taylor Swift Speaker Series

Watch recordings of the six-part lecture series on the "academic lore" of Taylor Swift.

Watching from the Stands: Addressing Media Stereotypes Within the Taylor Swift-Sports Ecosystem

September 25, 2024 | Steve Bien-Aimé, assistant professor at the William Allen White School of Journalism and Mass Communications at the University of Kansas

Hits Different: Why Taylor Swift Writes Such Strong Songs

September 30, 2024 | Stephanie Burt, poet, essayist, and critic, and professor of English at Harvard University

Parasocial Affordances and the Taylor Swift Fandom

October 12, 2024 | Brian L. Donovan, professor of sociology at the University of Kansas

SWIFTYNOMICS: Women in Today's Economy

October 30, 2024 | Misty Heggeness, associate professor of public affairs and economics at the University of Kansas

What Are You Hearing?: Focused Music Analysis for Non-Musicians

November 13, 2024 | Kerry Marsh, director of jazz singers and commercial voices in the School of Music at the University of Kansas