Taylor Swift... Are You Ready For It?

Taylor Swift is a phenomenon. From her country music roots to pop music superstardom, her versatility as a musician has been unmatched. Time and time again, Swift has proven that she has it all. Today she is more popular - and controversial - than ever before, and with Swiftlation and Taylornomics, her influence even extends to politics and economics.

But while Taylor Swift has been on the scene for more than a decade, only recently has her music garnered “serious” attention. The past year in particular has witnessed unprecedented attention paid to her work, from lectures and podcasts, to articles and books. Why did it take so long? How do we explain her immense popularity? Will she become president of the United States one day? Through a retrospective of her various eras, writer Münise Yavuz looks for possible explanations. Are you ready for it?

Münise Yavuz (1989) is a writer and pop culture critic. Her writing explores why particular cultural tastes—such as those of teenage girls—are frequently dismissed or undervalued. Her latest book, which offers fresh insights into this subject, is forthcoming from publisher De Bezige Bij. Yavuz’s work has been awarded with the Anil Ramdas Essay Prize in 2019 and the Jan Hanlo Essay Prize (Klein) in 2021.

Everything You Always Wanted to Know About …

Everything You Always Wanted to Know About… is back! In this series, Studium Generale Groningen focuses on main characters and key issues in science, culture and society.