ENLIGHTENMENT: Taylor Swift's Impact on Literature and Culture

A UC Davis writing lecturer with a maxed-out college seminar on Taylor Swift explains what we can learn and use from her words and music. Hi, this is Vanessa, your ENLIGHTENMENT salon host. Taylor Swift regularly tops the charts, earned billions on her Eras tours, and had the most talked-about wedding of the year. What else is there left for her to conquer? The college classroom. Join me for a salon talk with UC Davis Writing Center lecturer — and proud Swiftie — Dr. Alison Moore. She’ll take us inside her viral, maxed-out college seminar, “Folklore and Fairytales: the Literary Words of Taylor Swift,” to dissect the storytelling mastery of one of the world's most influential songwriters. Believing that writing is a tool for personal empowerment, Dr. Moore designed this in-demand course to connect classic storytelling principles with modern passions.. Whether you’re a die-hard fan or on the fence about Swift's music, come learn how pop lyrics can be a serious object of literary study. Dr. Moore will showcase how she uses Swift's lyricism and world-building to teach storytelling techniques, and how leveraging your cultural passions can help you master complex, analytical topics. We’ll also discuss the Eras tour — how it united multiple generations and shifted the modern pop culture landscape. Come listen, bring your questions — nothing is too dumb or too small to ask — and maybe a pen and notepad to jot down some Taylor-made inspiration. Tickets are $10; $5 for students. There will be drinks and snacks, but please feel free to BYO. *** For more information about ENLIGHTENMENT and about California Groundbreakers, go to californiagroundbreakers.org