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In spring 2026, Amy Schumacher-Rutherford, instructor in speech, will teach a new course at the University of Mississippi focused on the rhetoric of pop star Taylor Swift \u2014 RHET 399.<\/span><\/p>\n Swift is one of the most well-marketed and influential musicians in the world, and Schumacher-Rutherford\u2019s fascination and love for the singer goes back to 2007.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI love Taylor Swift,\u201d Schumacher-Rutherford said. \u201cThe first time I ever saw her live was when she opened for Brad Paisley.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n For Schumacher-Rutherford, Swift\u2019s career offers an intersection between fandom and rhetorical study that can connect with a larger collegiate audience than other courses often might.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI see a lot of people online who do these deep-dive analyses,\u201d Schumacher-Rutherford said. \u201cThere\u2019s just so many different parts of her career.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n The course is designed to give students the ability to analyze Swift\u2019s work through not only a fan lens but many rhetorical lenses.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cIf we can get other people who are excited about (Swift) to also be able to learn (rhetorical) theory, then that is merging two of my favorite things,\u201d Schumacher-Rutherford said.<\/span><\/p>\n Students will not spend the whole course talking about their love for Swift. The class will follow a traditional rhetorical class structure, studying communication, persuasion and audience connection through the lens of Swift\u2019s music and career.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve divided the course into a rhetorical lens, and then we\u2019ll look at a particular part of her career that it applies to,\u201d Schumacher-Rutherford said.<\/span><\/p>\n The variety of avenues to explore into does not stop at lyrics and fan involvement. The course will also dive into Swift\u2019s appeal, Easter eggs and genius within her work.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWe can do close text analysis of her lyrics, but then, we could also do visual rhetoric stuff on her tour setup and things like that,\u201d Schumacher-Rutherford said. \u201cThen, we can do feminist rhetoric on some of her glamour speeches.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n For over a year, the class has been in development within the Department of Writing and Rhetoric. Timing was the key, and they just found it.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cOnce the new album (\u2018The Life of a Showgirl\u2019) was announced, I was like, \u2018This is our moment,\u2019\u201d Schumacher-Rutherford said.<\/span><\/p>\n College courses centered around Swift have been a <\/span>common trend<\/span><\/a> nationally over the past few years. \u201cTaylor Swift and Her World\u201d was a course at Harvard University, and Northeastern University offered \u201cSpeak Now: Gender & Storytelling in Taylor Swift\u2019s Eras.\u201d Even <\/span>at UM<\/span><\/a>, the Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College hosted \u201cTaylor Swift: An Examination of the Eras Tour\u201d as a conversation course for Spring 2024.<\/span><\/p>\n RHET 399: Rhetoric of Taylor Swift is open to any interested students, including fans, skeptics and even some professors who have asked to audit the course. Having a variety of inputs allows discussions to be more rich and engaging.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cPeople who are innately interested in this topic are going to have a lot more to say,\u201d\u00a0 Schumacher-Rutherford said. \u201cSo, I\u2019m hoping that people are going to share because I have my sphere of knowledge, but I want others to share theirs.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Ultimately, Schumacher-Rutherford hopes the course will help students see the value of rhetoric beyond the classroom and through their interests.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s getting people exposed to what we do because most everyone has to take a writing class here,\u201d Schumacher-Rutherford said. \u201cYou can use these things in your life, the things you\u2019re interested in, but also career-wise \u2014 these analytical tools are useful.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n