Taylor Swift arrives at a Belgian university. Not as part of his Eras Tour, but in a literature class. From the start of the next school year, students of the English Language and Literature master’s degree at the University of Ghent will have the opportunity to study his texts. The course will be titled “Literature (Taylor’s Version)”, in reference to the titles of the albums re-recorded by the singer.
The idea is simple: explain English literature through a modern subject. “I want to show my students how much fun historical English literature can be,” Ellie McCausland, the teacher behind the course, told Het Laatste Nieuws. Thus, students will be able to analyze the works of Robert Frost, Jane Eyre, Emily Dickinson, Shakespeare but also the most iconic songs of the American pop star. “We apprehend Taylor Swift like any other author, continues this professor and seasoned “swiftie”. Besides, I encourage students who are not Taylor Swift fans to register.
While the arrival of Taylor Swift in European faculties marks a first on the continent, it should be noted that this initiative is not unprecedented on a global scale. In the universities of North America, the interpreter of Bad Blood is already in the spotlight. In New York, Austin and even in Ontario, Canada, courses have been given on the singer since 2022. Some retrace the evolution of her career, others study her relationship to feminism or discrimination. Still others are interested in his place in the music industry. According to the Los Angeles Times, in April 2024, the famous Stanford University, located in California, will launch a course called “the last great American lyricist”.
While literature classes pay tribute to her, the singer continues her tour. She has just completed the North American part of the Eras Tour and is about to begin her first South American dates. She will be at La Défense Arena in Paris for four exceptional concerts, on May 9, 10, 11 and 12, 2024.
