Taylor Swift Impact: Australia To Organise Its First 'Swiftposium'

Australia is preparing to host an unprecedented international academic symposium focused on the influence of Taylor Swift. The three-day "Swiftposium" is scheduled to take place from February 11 to 13, 2024.

Details Of Swiftposium 

The unique event, hosted by the University of Melbourne, will delve into the impact of the megastar across various domains, including the music industry, culture and economy. It coincides with Taylor Swift's Eras tour, commencing in Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on February 16.

The Swiftposium is being organised by scholars from seven universities in Australia and New Zealand. It is described as an academic conference for scholars to engage in critical dialogue about Swift’s popularity and its profound implications for a range of issues including gender, fandom, popular culture, literature, the economy, the music industry, and more.

This interdisciplinary conference will feature both online and in-person components, including a public event in Melbourne's Federation Square. Organisers have issued a call for academic papers, suggesting topics such as the discourse on mental health and Taylor Swift, Taylor Swift's impact on gender and sexuality, and the effects of international touring and large events, particularly those featuring Taylor Swift, on urban landscapes and the cultural identity of cities.

The organisers aim for the conference to delve into subjects such as the phenomenon of fan devotion, the marketing expertise of Swift's team, and the singer-songwriter's role in shaping conversations regarding gender, identity, race, and intersectionality. They also encourage critical examination of her brand and its influence.

The selection of speakers will be completed in the coming months, and they are actively considering arrangements for a ticketed event that would enable fans to participate in the conference.

Organizers plan to invite Taylor Swift to make a virtual appearance at the event.

The Taylor Swift Impact

Swiftonomics is already an established field, with economists analyzing the impact of her Eras tour on the singer's net worth, consumer spending, inflation, and GDP.

This is not the first instance of academic interest in Taylor Swift. Belgium's Ghent University introduced an elective course titled "Literature: Taylor's Version," using Swift's work as a foundation for exploring other writers.

In 2022, New York University's Clive Davis Institute introduced a comprehensive course on Swift, and a course titled "The Taylor Swift Songbook" was founded by University of Texas English professor Elizabeth Scala. In November, Indiana University Bloomington is slated to host a two-day conference for "Swifties and Swifty-adjacent thinkers."

In the latest news, Swift's 'Eras Tour' concert film is all set to open in theatres on October 13. The film has collected a whopping $26 million in the ticket presale, as per reports. At a time when Hollywood is witnessing a much-needed Writers' strike, some big-budget films have pushed their releases leaving the theatres empty for the next few months. It's anticipated that Swift's film has the potential to take over Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer and Tom Cruise’s Mission: Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part One at the box office earnings.

Suggested Reading: Belgian University Offers Taylor Swift-Inspired Literature Course