79-165 The Nineties: Culture and Politics in the Gay 1890s and Queer 1990s

6 units, Carnegie Mellon University

The Naughty Nineties. Fin de siècle. The Gay Nineties. The Queer Nineties. The End of History. Both the 1890s and the 1990s figure as pivotal moments of cultural change. This mini-course examines the United States in the 1890s and the 1990s for what these decades can teach us about societies in transition and moments of great cultural change. Class readings examine politics, culture, technology, and media to examine the "Culture Wars" of the periods - struggles over conflicting views about American cultural identity, including the meaning of race and class hierarchy and gender and sexual freedom. Students will be assessed through written, oral, and creative work. This course is open to all students, requires no prerequisites, and may be used to count towards the elective requirements for the Gender Studies minor.

Prerequisites: none listed

Offered: Fall 2025

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