The University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman is set to introduce an elective course centered around the works of American pop star Taylor Swift.
In a Facebook post by the UP College of Mass Communication, it was revealed that the Department of Broadcast Communication will be offering “Celebrity Studies: Taylor Swift in Focus” during the Second Semester of AY2023-2024.
Local media outlets have also shared the exciting news, featuring interviews with Dr. Cherish Brillon, who will be handling the class.
“[It] focuses on the conception, construction, and the performance of Taylor Swift as a celebrity and how she can be used to explain our and, of course, media’s relationship with class, politics, gender, race, and fantasies of success and mobility,” Dr. Brillon told PhilSTAR L!fe.
According to her, it’s “a bit surprising” that the Philippines has not yet offered such a course about the popstar, considering the country’s evident status as a fervent “Taylor Swift nation,” with many Filipinos ranking among her top listeners on various streaming platforms.
Several international universities, including Stanford University, Harvard University, University of Texas, and New York University (where Swift holds an honorary doctorate degree), have already initiated courses focusing on Swift. These classes approach Swift’s impact from different angles, whether through a literary lens, analyzing her songwriting prowess, or exploring her massive commercial success as a business case study.
In presenting the elective, Dr. Brillon expressed her interest in understanding how Filipinos have embraced Swift not only as a transnational icon but also as a symbol of emerging local fandom activism.
“I think it’s time for us here in the Philippines to look at her in an in-depth manner,” shared Dr. Brillon, who also admitted to being a dedicated Swiftie since the ‘Red’ album era.
