ENGL 2303

Rachael Mariboho, English lecturer, is utilizing the work of pop culture icon Taylor Swift to foster a love story between her students and reading that is so strong they simply can’t shake it off. When Dr. Mariboho created an assignment idea around studying literary eras through the lens of Taylor Swift for the Maverick Advantage Faculty Engagement Program, she never in her wildest dreams thought the assignment would lead to the development of a course dedicated to the subject.

Students enrolled in the course connect Swift’s lyrics to a selection of women’s literature, art, and films by spotting references to other works and analyzing thematic similarities. The study culminates in an opportunity for students to curate their own artistic era, illuminating a theme in Swift’s writing that resonates with them. The project challenges students to draw comparisons between five of Swift’s songs, three literary texts discussed in the course, two literary works outside of the course text, two films, and a work of art, for a total of 13 texts.

Mariboho hopes the course shows students that the songbook of a beloved artist is a valuable topic of study alongside classic literature, which she acknowledges will never go out of style.

“I think it is really important that students see that what you love, whatever it is, it matters,” she says. “It’s worth studying, talking about, and connecting to other literature we read because it’s culturally relevant today.”

Like other literature courses in the Department of English, Mariboho’s offers practice in communication, literary analysis, critical thinking, empathy, and understanding different perspectives on issues. Whether students are ready for it or not, while searching for easter eggs and deeper meaning in Swift’s lyrics, they are also strengthening marketable skills that apply to a wide range of careers.