Celebrities, and their fans, wield tremendous economic, cultural and political influence – and none more so than US pop superstar Taylor Swift. Academia is getting on board, with university courses now entirely dedicated to studying the icon. But celebrities and their fans have not always been taken seriously, by academia, or broader society – particularly when it’s someone idolised by young girls.   

Well, these academics are trying to change that. Ahead of Swift's record-breaking Australian tour, 160 scholars from around the world came together in Melbourne for the inaugural Swiftposium conference, to engage in critical dialogue about Swift’s popularity and its profound influence on society, from feminism, to gender, fandom, popular culture, literature, the economy, the music industry, and more. This event was presented by the University of Melbourne from February 11 to 13, 2024. 

“The worst kind of person is someone who makes someone feel bad, dumb or stupid for being excited about something.” - Taylor Swift, 2019