The Humanities and Popular Culture/Counterculture

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Popular culture dominates our lives and deserves serious study. During the 2025-26 academic year, the Center for the Humanities is delighted to present “The Humanities and Popular Culture/Counterculture.” This yearlong series of lectures and events — on topics ranging from marching band music to basketball to Taylor Swift — will explore some of these fascinating and important intersections. Have fun and learn at the same time!

Spring Events

Double Crossover: Gender, Media, and Politics in Global Basketball - Courtney M. Cox
February 26, 4pm
Hope Room, Higgins Welcome Center
The Genius of Taylor Swift: A Crash Course on the Pop Superstar - Stephanie Burt
March 26, 4pm
Hope Room, Higgins Welcome Center
Why Shakespeare? - Jeffrey R. Wilson
April 23, 5pm
Hope Room, Higgins Welcome Center

Past Events

Make Loud! An Evening with the Extraordinary Rendition Band - Extraordinary Rendition Band
Stories from the Soil: Collage, Culture, and the Black Rural Imagination - Nancey B. Price
From Noble Savage to Tragic Chief: A Brief History of Natives in Pop Culture - Lee Francis IV

The Center for the Humanities is grateful to the College of Arts and Sciences, Division of Research and Economic Development, Department of Gender and Women’s Studies and the Affirming Multivocal Humanities Mellon Grant, and Department of Philosophy for generously co-sponsoring this series.