On Thursday, Dec. 5, the Community Health and Social Innovation (CHASI) Hub is hosting an academic conference unpacking the cultural impact of Taylor Swift. Swiftie Scholar will be held in Evered Hall from 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. The Cascade sat down with CHASI’s lead researcher and proclaimed Swiftie, Chelsea Klassen, to discuss the exclusive and critical pop culture conversation.
~~What inspired you to organize Swiftie Scholar?~~
I’ve seen the Taylor Swift phenomenon happening, and I am a fan myself. [As] a Swiftie, I also loved reading other people’s cultural commentary, sociological perspectives, and analysis on this phenomenon. I thought it would be cool to curate different talks and an academic perspective on her cultural currency. [And to] do something at the institution in light of her coming for the Eras tour.
~~Are you going to Eras in Vancouver?~~
Yeah! I also had the opportunity to go to the first show in Las Vegas.
~~What draws you to Taylor Swift’s music?~~
She validates [the] female experience. I think at a time when she became popular a lot of young pop stars were very sexualized, they were curated for the male gaze. And I think her vulnerability, and her debut album, [were] relatable. For me, that’s kind of how I related to her music. [The reason] why so many people listen to her [is because you] can revisit her as you’re going through different stages … You can listen to “Fifteen,” and it takes you back to when you were 15. I was 15 when it came out, so for me, it feels personal.
~~Who is the event for and what can attendees get out of it?~~
It’s really targeting students … both fans and non fans. [We are] looking at the cultural phenomena from an academic perspective — we will not be playing “22” on repeat for eight hours.
At this time, we have four speakers lined up, so they can expect to hear everything from the commentary on publishing; Taylor Swift has famously been re-recording her original work that she doesn’t own … She’s really highlighted artists owning their own work as being an important part of culture. We’re really lucky to have Jarin Pintana.
We’re going to have [Dr. Brian Donovan] talk about the parasocial relationship of fandom. Most people are, to some degree, fans of something in pop culture — he’s going to use Taylor Swift as an example in this instance.
We’re going to have Dr. Erin Morton talk about some of the aesthetics, [how they] utilize gender and music in terms of settler colonialism, and particularly the Midwest and American frontierism.
And then, finally, we will have Tinca Lukan speaking about the girl boss [phenomena].
~~The event is all day; what can people expect?~~
We are going to have a friendship bracelet making station! We’ll be having some snacks and beverages available. It’ll be a more casual conference, but [I am] still hoping people will walk away from it learning something new about themselves and how they interact with media and culture.
~~Swiftie Scholar tickets are priced at $13. I would like to know how you decided this number and if you have any comments about barriers to entry around Taylor Swift?~~
So at $13, we’re trying to just cover some of the costs for the venue and to give our speakers [an] honorarium. We settled on 13, because that’s Taylor Swift’s favourite number. If cost is a barrier, students can always reach out to me and we will figure out something.
~~What else would you like students to know about Swiftie Scholar?~~
It’ll be an event for people to connect with others who are interested in pop culture and it’s something happening on campus! [This is] the first time we’re trying this … if you want to have more events on campus, it’s great if people can make some time to attend.
Whether you’re a proclaimed Swiftie or a mere culture vulture, Swiftie Scholar offers something for anyone interested in media and cultural studies. The impact of Taylor Swift is undeniable; aren’t you even slightly curious as to why?
You can purchase your tickets to Swiftie Scholar online, www.swiftiescholar.com.
Edited for length and readability.
Kiara Okonkwo is a writer and creative. She received a diploma in Screenwriting from Vancouver Film School and is pursuing her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Creative Writing and Media and Communication Studies. Kiara values self-expression and authenticity.
