The Idea of Nature public lecture series presents: Stephanie Burt, Donald P. and Katherine B. Loker Professor of English, Harvard University, “The Nature of Taylor Swift”

We hear about the great songwriter’s relationship to her fans, to country, to pop, to singing, and even to the global economy. What about her relationship to nature? Or to the idea of nature? With examples from her own work and from poetry past and present, from the Romantics to contemporary New Zealand, we’ll see how Taylor frames nature as an ally—though an unreliable one—as she works to become a reliable friend, a lover and a confident adult. We’ll see how her lakes and her starlight change from the first country album to the quarantine indie-folk. We’ll hear what’s wrong with midnight rain—and what’s weird about snow on the beach.

This lecture is both in person and via webinar, with a Q & A, reception and book signing to follow.

Registration is free and open to the public.

The goal of the lecture series, founded in 2012 by Dr. Samantha Harvey, Professor of English Literature, is “to promote interdisciplinary inquiry and to foster dialogue across campus and community, based on the premise that big questions need interdisciplinary answers”.

There will be one additional lecture to come in the April.

The Idea of Nature public lecture series is sponsored by the following: The Nature Conservancy, Idaho Humanities Council, Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, Ada Soil & Water Conservation District, Roots Zero Waste Market, Boise State’s College of Arts and Sciences, Department of English Literature, Department of Environmental Studies, College of Business, College of Education, School of Public Service, College of Health Sciences, School of the Arts and the Honors College.

More information and recordings of past lectures can be found on our ScholarWorks website: https://scholarworks.boisestate.edu/ideaofnature/