Misty L. Heggeness, "Swiftynomics: How Women Mastermind and Redefine Our Economy" (U California Press, 2026)

Jan 27, 2026

Misty L. Heggeness, an economist and co-director of the Kansas Population Center who built The Care Board, blends pop culture and data to spotlight women’s economic influence. She links Taylor Swift and other female icons to wider patterns of reinvention, unrecognized caregiving work, social media power, and practical reforms to help women thrive in an economy not designed for them.

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INSIGHT

Pop Star As Economic Lens

Taylor Swift illustrates how women today craft careers around barriers rather than accept narrow roles.
Misty Heggeness uses Swift as a relatable example to explain women's economic agency.

INSIGHT

Women Create Markets They Were Denied

Women are removing industry-imposed typecasts by building businesses and platforms they control.
Increased female education and earnings give women power to create products and media that speak to them.

INSIGHT

Timing, Authenticity, And Demographics

Social media plus authentic fan connection amplified Taylor Swift's economic impact.
Demographic shifts (more educated, wealthier women) widened her consumer base and influence.

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A feminist romp through pop culture that illuminates how women influence and shape the economy.

Taylor Swift isn't just a pop megastar. She is a working woman whose astounding accomplishments defy patriarchal norms. And while not all women can be Beyoncé or Dolly Parton or Reese Witherspoon, the successes of these trailblazing stars help us understand the central role of women in today's economy.

Swiftynomics: How Women Mastermind and Redefine Our Economy (U California Press, 2026) assesses the complex economic lives of everyday American women through the stories of groundbreakers like Taylor Swift, Misty L. Heggeness digs into the data, revealing women's hidden contributions and aspirations—the unexamined value they create by pursuing their own ambitions. She highlights the abundance of productive activity in their daily lives and acknowledges the barriers they still face.

Exploring critical reforms regarding caregiving and gendered labor, this book offers advice for women to thrive in an economy that was not built for them.

More about the author: Misty L. Heggeness is co-director of the Kansas Population Center, Associate Professor of Economics and Public Affairs at the University of Kansas, and former Principal Economist and Senior Advisor at the US Census Bureau. She is also creator of The Care Board, a dashboard of economic statistics built by and for caregivers that brings their economic contributions into the fold.

Learn more about Swifynomics: here

Learn more about Misty: here

More about the host: Kailey Tse-Harlow is a Chinese-Irish writer born and raised in Boston’s Chinatown. She earned her BA in Film and Television Production from Emerson College and her MFA in Creative Writing from Lesley University. Her nonfiction writing has appeared in MIT News, and she is currently at work on her debut novel with support from Tin House. Based in Cambridge, MA, Kailey lives with her partner and two cats. Alongside her writing, she works as a freelance publicist part-time.

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