It’s been three years since the release of “1989,” and fans have been eagerly awaiting Swift’s next project ever since. Some agree...

Last week I drew from Benedict Anderson to introduce the notion of a national imaginary — those ideas and ideals that help link us to a national community from which we are otherwise separated by space and experience. Last week I discussed football; this week I’ll consider music and celebrity culture.   You might ask why I’m not talking about movies...