The Unwinding: A History of the 1990s

This course will carefully consider the history of a recent decade -- the 1990s. We will reflect on grand historical narratives -- the end of the Cold War, the two-term presidency of a centrist Democrat, and the large challenges faced by the United States at home and abroad. But we will also explore less conventional topics, including the effects of new technology, and the ways in which new media and new tactics reshaped a political consensus that had endured for decades. Finally, we will consider the decade's rich cultural expression, including its music, film, literature and journalism.