CAS-HC240 Honors Challenge Swift and Storytelling
Taylor Swift held all of the top ten spots on the Billboard chart after her most recent album, Midnights, dropped in October. She is a megastar at the height of her powers. But where do those powers come from? Why is she so popular? Perhaps it is down to her ability to tell a story. In this 1 credit course, we will look at Taylor Swifts work through the lens of narrative theory--a branch of literary theory that looks at how we tell stories and how they affect us as readers (or listeners). Each week, well listen to one or two songs, and analyze the lyrics in view of a particular theory. Well look at Midnight Rain as an example of Theory of Mind, well analyze This is Why We Cant Have Nice Things as an example of a roman a clef and many more. Towards the end of the semester, students will create the curriculum, presenting close readings of songs to their classmates. This course will culminate in a short paper analyzing a song in the context of a theory.
Prerequisite
Student has satisfied all of the following Academic Unit (Computed) in the selection list Advertising Public Relations and Social Media, Art and Design, Biology, Biology and Radiation Sciences, Chemistry and Biochemistry, College of Arts and Sciences, Communication Journalism and Media, Economics, English, Environmental Science and Studies, History Language and Global Culture, INTO College of Arts and Sciences, Math and Computer Science, Medical Dosimetry, Philosophy, Physics, Political Science and Legal Studies, Psychology, Radiation Sciences, Sociology and Criminal Justice ... And Student has satisfied all of the following Student is a member of the Honors Summary All Student Cohort