Texas State University at San Marcos will be home to a first-of-its-kind course on actor-musician Harry Styles and his impact on pop culture.
The class, Harry Styles and the Cult of Celebrity: Identity, the Internet and European Pop Culture, will look into how the world has transformed over the past decade, “starting with Harry’s first introduction to the world stage.”
Students will review the entirety of Styles’ filmography and discography, including novels from his favorite authors, such as Bethan Roberts, Haruki Murakami, and Susan Sontag.
The course focuses on the singer’s artistry and philosophy and will zero in on how his work has influenced European pop culture, fashion, fan and internet culture, sexuality, and even consumerism.
Harry Styles Craze
Associate Professor of Digital History Dr. Louie Dean Valencia will be teaching the course, announcing it on social media.
It's official, official. I'm teaching the world's first ever university course on the work of #HarryStyles is happening Spring 2023 at @TXST University (see description).
This is what tenure looks like. Let's gooooo! 😊 pic.twitter.com/1z3vMZoxRV
— Louie Dean Valencia (@BurntCitrus) July 16, 2022
Valencia appeared in an interview with Sh-t You Should Care About, where he opened up about his admiration for Styles.
“This class came out of research that I started when locked at home during the summer of 2020 listening to Harry’s music … I started researching Harry — focusing on his art, the ways masculinity has changed in the last decade, celebrity culture and the internet,” Valencia said.
“I’ve always wanted to teach a history class that is both fun, but also covers a period that students have lived through and relate to,” Valencia added. “By studying the art, activism, consumerism and fandom around Harry Styles, I think we’ll be able to get to some very relevant contemporary issues.”
The course is offered first to honor students through the Honors College at Texas State.
