How Taylor Swift Revolutionised Academic Knowledge

Taylor Swift is everywhere, including the university. But just how far-reaching is the pop star’s influence? In this lecture, we will take a closer look at how the so-called Swiftian Turn in academia has challenged academic ideals of knowledge and expertise. With the line between fan and researcher blurring, new types of knowledge are being produced. When Taylor Swift’s influence reaches academic journals and lecture halls, what does this mean for the resulting science? And, beyond academia, how does Swift influence contemporary politics and feminism?

Sigrid Wallaert is a postdoctoral philosophy researcher at Ghent University in Belgium. She works on topics such as anger, feminism, epistemic injustice and healthcare — and also, when she gets the chance, Taylor Swift. Her first book, Kwaad spreken: Wie gelooft de boze vrouw?, was published in 2023 by Letterwerk.