Current:Home > NewsAustralia's 'Swiftposium' attracts global intellectuals to discuss Taylor Swift -Wealth Empowerment Zone
Australia's 'Swiftposium' attracts global intellectuals to discuss Taylor Swift
View
Date:2025-04-13 13:53:29
MELBOURNE, Australia — Some of the world’s brightest minds descended on the University of Melbourne campus for a two-day conference to discuss, dissect and delight in all things Taylor Swift.
The first ever “Swiftposium” housed 130 intellectuals. In mid-September of last year, applications were announced for educators in Australia and New Zealand. But like with most things associated with the prolific pop star, word spread across the globe and 400 entries came pouring in with custom abstract papers in 60 different disciplines. Submissions came from the United States, United Kingdom, Philippines, Russia, China and more.
“It’s really fun to see all of the different ways and perspectives that all of the professors are taking,” said Brittany Spanos, conference keynote speaker and senior writer for Rolling Stone magazine. Spanos was the first instructor to have a Taylor Swift-themed class go viral, in 2021. The New York University adjunct professor’s class ran for two months and dived into the songwriter’s discography, entrepreneurship and legacy, and spurred several institutions to add Swift-inspired courses at universities across America.
Taylor Swift 101:From poetry to business, college classes offer insights on 'Swiftology'
“My specific program was for people studying to be musicians and work in the music industry,” Spanos said on a break between “Swiftposium” forum discussions. “The papers I’ve seen today were a lot more literary focused. I saw a panel on gothic themes and elements in Taylor’s music. I loved learning about gothic literature and the connections made to her.”
Ninety-minute presentation topics included (but this is less than half):
- Lyrics, girlhood and youth
- Culture, conspiracies and public anxieties
- The alt-right disinformation and social media
- Psychological perspectives
- Reflections on music, audio and recording
- Affect: love, desire and rage
- Narrative justice, jurisprudence and the law
- #MeToo, anger and resisting victimhood
- Film, performance and art
- Cyber threats and attacks to target Swifties
Educators asked each other in-depth questions about her lyrics, portrayal in society and the media, and business-savvy power moves. Every name badge had each participant's university and favorite era. During teatime breaks, some of the participants made friendship bracelets while others showed off their fun outfits.
Spanos, who’s interviewed Swift numerous times, said the singer would probably find the panels fascinating.
“I think she invites in those interpretations," she said. "She pulls so much from literary influences and historical figures.”
Dr. Jennifer Beckett, a conference organizer from the University of Melbourne, said the school is unlikely to host a Swiftposium next year, but the steering committee hopes another university (possibly in the states) takes the idea and runs with it. Beckett said the team would be happy to pass on any advice and recommendations for putting on a symposium all about Taylor Swift.
Follow Bryan West, the USA TODAY Network's Taylor Swift reporter, on Instagram, TikTok and X as @BryanWestTV.
veryGood! (5813)
Related
- House passes bill to add 66 new federal judgeships, but prospects murky after Biden veto threat
- Pistons hiring Pelicans GM Trajan Langdon to be president of basketball operations
- The Uvalde school shooting thrust them into the national spotlight. Where are they now?
- New lawsuit accuses Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs of sexually abusing college student in the 1990s
- Skins Game to make return to Thanksgiving week with a modern look
- Gov. Ron DeSantis bravely saves Floridians from exposure to nonpatriotic bridges
- Rapper Sean Kingston and his mother stole more than $1 million through fraud, authorities say
- 8 injured in airboat crash in central Florida, deputies say
- New Zealand official reverses visa refusal for US conservative influencer Candace Owens
- Court sides with West Virginia TV station over records on top official’s firing
Ranking
- Residents worried after ceiling cracks appear following reroofing works at Jalan Tenaga HDB blocks
- Tribes say their future is at stake as they push for Congress to consider Colorado River settlement
- American arrested in Turks and Caicos over ammo found in bag gets suspended sentence of 52 weeks
- Migrant crossings at U.S.-Mexico border plunge 54% from record highs, internal figures show
- Former Milwaukee hotel workers charged with murder after video shows them holding down Black man
- The 57 Best Memorial Day 2024 Beauty Deals: Fenty Beauty by Rihanna, T3, MAC, NuFACE, OUAI & More
- Does Adobe Lightroom have AI? New tools offer 'erase' feature with just one click
- Home prices reach record high of $387,600, putting damper on spring season
Recommendation
Olympic men's basketball bracket: Results of the 5x5 tournament
Taiwan scrambles jets, puts forces on alert as China calls new war games powerful punishment for the island
Charles Barkley says 'morale sucks' as 'Inside the NBA' remains in limbo for TNT
The Best Memorial Day Bedding & Bath Deals of 2024: Shop Parachute, Brooklinen, Cozy Earth & More
Beware of giant spiders: Thousands of tarantulas to emerge in 3 states for mating season
American Airlines drops law firm that said a 9-year-old girl should have seen camera on toilet seat
Tribes say their future is at stake as they push for Congress to consider Colorado River settlement
Karen Read Murder Trial: Why Boston Woman Says She Was Framed for Hitting Boyfriend With Car