Texas State University to Offer Spring Honors Course Centered on Harry Styles

Texas State University in San Marcos is adding a course about British musician Harry Styles, with the class scheduled for the 2023 spring semester through the university's honors college.

The course is titled "Harry Styles and the Cult of Celebrity: Identity, The Internet and European Pop Culture." It will be taught by Louie Valencia, an associate professor of digital history who has been on the Texas State faculty since 2017.

Valencia announced the news on Twitter, saying he was excited to lead the class. He described himself as a longtime "Harrie," the name used for Styles fans, and said his fandom predates his time at the university. "Definitely I am a fan, but I think that it also gives us sort of the idea that you can love and study what you're passionate about," he said.

According to Valencia, the idea came from a conversation with a group of students about the influence Styles has had in a range of areas since he rose to fame 12 years ago as a member of the band One Direction. He noted that Styles has spent more than a decade on the world stage, both in the group and as a solo artist, which makes his work familiar to many students.

Valencia acknowledged that courses of this kind can draw attention because they seem a little ridiculous at first. "But honestly, I think that if you look at any type of history, it's always people's lives that most interest people," he said.

The class will not focus primarily on Styles as an individual. Instead, it will look at his history and impact as a modern celebrity, touching on race, class, media, internet culture, fan culture, fashion and consumerism.

Valencia compared the approach to studying the Beatles as a way of understanding the 1960s. "We'll take a class on Harry Styles to learn about the last 12 years or so, looking at his art, looking at his favorite literature influences, and seeing also how he's affected fans," he said.

To prepare, Valencia has conducted his own research, including a visit to the singer's hometown and attendance at concerts overseas. He also plans to see Styles during a five-night residency at the Moody Center in the coming months.

Valencia said that although the class should be enjoyable and appeal to many people's interests, it is also meant to build research skills. He said it should teach students how to think about the world they live in and, ideally, perhaps a little about themselves.