A prestigious institution in the Philippines has launched a celebrity studies course that explores Swift’s influence on pop culture worldwide, bringing the singer’s mania to classrooms there.
More than 300 students enrolled in the University of the Philippines’ elective course during the performer’s visit to Asia this week, quickly filling the few available spots and forcing the administration to add another session.
After her first lecture, Cherish Brillon, a professor in the broadcast communications department, declared, “We’re going to treat Taylor Swift like a celebrity, which means we’re going to look at her from the lens of various ways of thinking such as the intersection of sex, gender, and class.”
Brillon, who refers to herself as a “Swiftie” to the singer’s devoted followers, said the course will also examine how Swift is portrayed in the media and how the Philippines views her as a “transnational” figure.
A portion of the two dozen pupils flaunted Swift memorabilia and put stickers of the 14-time Grammy Award winner on their laptops and notebooks.
Student Shyne, a “Swiftie” since elementary school, stated, “I would love to delve deeper into the societal issues that we face in connection with Taylor Swift.”
US colleges that have taught Swift studies include Harvard, Stanford, and Berklee College of Music. They have covered songwriting and literary analyses of her discography, among other subjects.
From March 2 to 9, Swift will make her lone visit in Southeast Asia: six sold-out “Eras Tour” gigs in Singapore. Despite the intense tropical heat, almost 300,000 tickets were sold to enthusiasts who waited in line overnight.
