Week 18: Y2K

Week 18: Y2K (1999)
Mon 12.14, 9:45 a.m. - 12 p.m. (final Exam)
Class: Course Wrap-up
Due: ENGLISH DEPARTMENT ASSESSMENT (SUBMIT VIA CANVAS BY 5 P.M.)

Week 17: The iMac (1998)

Week 17: The iMac (1998)
No class meetings

Upcoming:

Final Exam-

Week 18: Y2K (1999)
Mon 12.14, 9:45 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Class: Course Wrap-up Due: ENGLISH DEPARTMENT ASSESSMENT (SUBMIT VIA CANVAS BY 5 P.M.)

Week 16: Titanic (1997)

Week 16: Titanic (1997)
Mon 11.30/Wed 12.2*
Class: Multimedia presentations
Due: EXPOSITORY
*Final regular class meeting of the semester

Upcoming:

Week 17: The iMac (1998)
No class meetings

Final Exam: Week 18: Y2K (1999)
Mon 12.14, 9:45 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Class: Course Wrap-up
Due: ENGLISH DEPARTMENT ASSESSMENT (SUBMIT VIA CANVAS BY 5 P.M.)

Back in the Day News 11.28

• 12°: How much hotter the Arctic is since the '90s (Daily Mail)
• Legendary director Martin Scorsese names his favorite 90s films (Screen Rant)
• David Dinkins, elected in 1990 as NYC's first black mayor, dies at 93 (CommercialObserver)
• The Mandalorian teases a major '90s Star Wars Expanded Universe villain (ComicBook)
• Twenty-six years later, "All I Want for Christmas is You" is climbing the charts once again (Entertainment Weekly)

Week 15: The Chicago Bulls (1997)

Week 15: The Chicago Bulls (1997)
Mon 11.23/Wed 11.25 (NO CLASS—THANKSGIVING)
Class: Multimedia presentations

Upcoming:

Week 16: Titanic (1997)
Mon 11.30/Wed 12.2*
Class: Multimedia presentations
Due: EXPOSITORY

*Final regular class meeting of the semester

Week 17: The iMac (1998)
No class meetings

Final Exam:

Week 18: Y2K (1999)
Mon 12.14, 9:45 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Class: Course Wrap-up Due: ENGLISH DEPARTMENT ASSESSMENT (SUBMIT VIA CANVAS BY 5 P.M.)

Back in the Day News 11.21

• Is it true that 1992 was the last time Rudy Giuliani tried a case in court? (KVUE-TV)
• Season five of The Crown to delve into the Royal Family's tumultuous 1990s (Daily Express)
• Family recreates the perfect Home Alone Christmas decorations (TMZ)
• 1994: When music met the Internet (CBC News)
  
• Hulu debuts its Animaniacs reboot (NBc News)

 

Week 14: Scream (1996)

Week 14: Scream (1996)
Mon 11.16/Wed 11.18
Read: COL—Ch. 51: Two Hurdles – Epilogue: Apocalyptic Dreams
Class: Reading discussion; Multimedia presentations

Upcoming:

Week 15: The Chicago Bulls (1997)
Mon 11.23/Wed 11.25 (NO CLASS—THANKSGIVING)
Class: Multimedia presentations

Week 16: Titanic (1997)
Mon 11.30/Wed 12.2*
Class: Multimedia presentations
Due: EXPOSITORY

*Final regular class meeting of the semester

Week 17: The iMac (1998)
No class meetings

Final Exam:

Week 18: Y2K (1999)
Mon 12.14, 9:45 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Class: Course Wrap-up
Due: ENGLISH DEPARTMENT ASSESSMENT (SUBMIT VIA CANVAS BY 5 P.M.)

Back in the Days News 11.14

• Joe Biden becomes first Democrat to win Georgia since 1996 (NBC News)
  
• Friends reunion to film in March (CTV News)
• Fresh Prince of Bel-Air reunion special coming next week to HBO Max (Dark Horizons)
  
• Ducktails spinoff coming to Disney+ 
• A look back at some of the most memorable one hit wonders of the '90s (ShowbizCheatSheet) 

 

Week 13: OJ Simpson (1995)

Week 13: OJ Simpson (1995)
Mon 11.9/Wed 11.11 (NO CLASS—VETERAN’S DAY)
Read: COL—Ch. 46: Guns – Ch. 50: The Basement Tapes
Class: Reading discussion; Multimedia presentations

Upcoming:

Week 14: Scream (1996)
Mon 11.16/Wed 11.18
Read: COL—Ch. 51: Two Hurdles – Epilogue: Apocalyptic Dreams
Class: Reading discussion; Multimedia presentations
Due: REFLECTION 5

Week 15: The Chicago Bulls (1997)
Mon 11.23/Wed 11.25 (NO CLASS—THANKSGIVING)
Class: Multimedia presentations
Due: EXPOSITORY (DRAFT 1—NOTE MONDAY DUE DATE)

Week 16: Titanic (1997)
Mon 11.30/Wed 12.2*
Class: Multimedia presentations
Due: EXPOSITORY

*Final regular class meeting of the semester

Week 17: The iMac (1998)
No class meetings

Final Exam:

Week 18: Y2K (1999)
Mon 12.14, 9:45 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Class: Course Wrap-up
Due: ENGLISH DEPARTMENT ASSESSMENT (SUBMIT VIA CANVAS BY 5 P.M.)

 

Back in the Day News 11.7

• Santana's 1999 "Smooth" gets a 2020 metal makeover (MetalInjection) 
• 1992: The last time Georgia voted for a Democrat (Washington Post)
  
• Brooklyn men spent 20 years in prison for 1990s crimes they didn't commit (New York Daily News) 
• Ricky Martin calls his upcoming Netflix Christmas movie "very powerful" (DigitalSpy)
• At the top of The New York Times Fiction Bestsellers this week in 1995: Michael Crichton's The Lost World (Wikipedia)
  

Week 12: Selena (1995)

Week 12: Selena (1995)
Mon 11.2/Wed 11.4
Read: COL—Ch. 41: Diversion – Ch. 45: Aftershocks
Class: Reading discussion; Multimedia presentations
Due: REFLECTION 4

Upcoming:

Week 13: OJ Simpson (1995)
Mon 11.9/Wed 11.11 (NO CLASS—VETERAN’S DAY)
Read: COL—Ch. 46: Guns – Ch. 50: The Basement Tapes
Class: Reading discussion; Multimedia presentations

Back in the Day News 10.30

• *NSYNC film in development (Dark Horizons)
• Did Mikhail Gorbachev blame TV's Dallas for the  fall of the Soviet Union? (Deadline)
• The Backstreet Boys sing the National Anthem for the Kentucky-Georgia football game (KentuckySportsRadio)
• Then and now: '90s reality TV's biggest stars (BestLife)
• Original Jurassic Park stars reunited for filming of Jurassic World: Dominion (CinemaBlend)
  

 

Reflection 4: I'm Just a Girl—On '90s Feminist Anthems

It was in the '90s that the third wave of feminists came of age. This time, it was young Gen Xers who embraced a more socially, racially, and sexually diverse feminism than previous generations—and music was quick to take notice. From Pop to Hip Hop to Country to Rock and R&B, 1990s female artists saw unprecedented exposure and success. Their bold songs about sexuality, infidelity, sexism, and self-esteem were soon staples of '90s radio. By the end of the decade, not only had women produced five of the ten best-selling albums, but VH1 celebrated female artists with their annual Divas Live showcase, while the all-woman Lilith Fair blazed trails on the summer tour circuit.  

Below is a list of '90s feminist anthems. For this reflection, examine four of the following songs. In your analysis, consider what the story they are telling. Who or what are they challenging? Finally, how do female artists in today's musical ecosystem compare to those of the 1990s?

Choose four of the following to explore:

1. Wilson Phillips, "Hold On" (1990)
   
2. Tori Amos, "Silent All These Years" (1992)
3. En Vogue, "Free Your Mind" (1992)
   
4. Mary Chapin Carpenter, "He Thinks He'll Keep Her" (1993)
5. Bikini Kill, "Rebel Girl" (1993)
   
6. Queen Latifah, "U.N.I.T.Y." (1993) 
7. Liz Phair, "Girls! Girls! Girls!" (1993)
   
8. Salt-N-Pepa, "Ain't Nuthin' But a She Thing" (1994)
9. 7 Year Bitch, "The Scratch" (1994)
   
10. Des'ree, "You Gotta Be" (1994)
    
11. Madonna, "Human Nature" (1994) 
12. Jody Watley, "When a Man Loves a Woman" (1994)
    
13. Veruca Salt, "Seether"  (1994) 
14. Selena, "Si Una Vez" (In Spanish; 1994)
    
15. Hole, "Violet" (1994)
16. Alanis Morissette, "You Oughta Know" (1995)
17. Jill Sobule, "I Kissed a Girl" (1995)
    
18. No Doubt, "Just a Girl" (1995)
19. Spice Girls, "Wannabe" (1996) 
20. Natalie Imbruglia, "Torn" (1997) 
    
21. Fiona Apple, "Criminal" (1997) 
22. Meredith Brooks, "Bitch" (1997)
23. Shania Twain, "Man, I Feel Like a Woman" (1997)
    
24. Erykah Badu, "Tyrone" (1997)
25. TLC, "No Scrubs" (1999)
26. The Chicks (née Dixie Chicks), "Goodbye Earl" (1999)
27. Destiny's Child, "Bills, Bills, Bills" (1999)
28. Le Tigre, "Hot Topic" (1999)
29. Whitney Houston, "It's Not Right, but It's Okay"
    
30. Jennifer Lopez, "If You Had My Love" (1999)
    

Mechanics:

• 1.5 pages in length
• MLA Style

Due: Wed 11.4 (via Canvas)

 

Week 11: Windows 95 (1995)

Week 11: Windows 95 (1995)
Mon 10.26/Wed 10.28
Read: COL—Ch. 31: The Seeker – Ch. 40: Psychopath
Class: Reading discussion; Multimedia presentations
Due: INFOGRAPHIC (FINAL DRAFT)

Upcoming:

Week 12: Selena (1995)
Mon 11.2/Wed 11.4
Read: COL—Ch. 41: Diversion – Ch. 45: Aftershocks
Class: Reading discussion; Multimedia presentations
Due: REFLECTION 4 AND 5

Back in the Day News 10.24

• I Know What You Did Last Summer reboot series coming to Amazon (Deadline)
  
• How the 1990 adaptation of The Witches scared even Roald Dahl (TheHollywoodReporter)
• Remembering the most luxurious cars of the '90s (HotCars) 
• Many of the best Halloween sites from the '90s are still up (HTG)
  
• Number one on the Billboard Hot 100 this week in 1994: Boyz II Men's "I'll Make Love to You" (YouTube)
  

Week 10: "All I Want for Christmas is You" (1994)

Week 10: “All I Wasn’t for Christmas is You” (1994)
Mon 10.19/Wed 10.21
Read: COL—Ch. 26: Help is on the Way – Ch. 30: Telling Us Why
Class: Reading discussion; Multimedia presentations Due: INFOGRAPHIC (DRAFT 1)

Upcoming: 

Week 11: Windows 95 (1995)
Mon 10.26/Wed 10.28
Read: COL—Ch. 31: The Seeker – Ch. 40: Psychopath
Class: Reading discussion; Multimedia presentations
Due: INFOGRAPHIC (FINAL DRAFT)

Back in the Day News 10.17

• "Today is gonna be the day that they're gonna throw it back to you": Oasis has the first '90s song to hit one billion streams on Spotify (Loudwire)
• First look: Kamp Koral: SpongeBob’s Under Years (Den of Geek)
• When Palladium was NYC's hottest '90s club (Patch)
• Why Toy Story doesn't have any toys from the '90s (when it's set) (ScreenRant)
• Brooklyn Nets return to their '90s-era jerseys (BrooklynPaper)
  

Infographic: I was a '90s Newsmaker

The 1990s were marked by big personalities, people who left their mark in fields as diverse as politics, entertainment, and sports. For this assignment, you will create an infographic illustrating the impact of a major '90s newsmaker. In constructing your infographic, consider not only the cultural impact of this individual, but also how he or she helped shape the decade.

Choose one of the following '90s newsmakers to profile in your infographic:

1. Bill Gates, tech pioneer
2. Oprah Winfrey, television host
3. Ross Perot, US presidential candidate
4. Macaulay Culkin, actor
5. Tony Blair, British prime minister
6. David Koresh, cult leader
7. Monica Lewinsky, White House intern
8. Magic Johnson, professional basketball player
9. Jim Carey, actor
10. Andre Agassi, professional tennis player
11. Al Gore, US vice-president
12. Selena, musician
13. Michelle Kwan, US Olympic figure skater
14. Janet Reno, US attorney general
15. Tom Hanks, actor
16. Mia Hamm, professional soccer player
17. Steven Spielberg, film director
18. George HW Bush, US president
19. Jackie Chan, actor
20. Madonna, musician
21. Harvey Weinstein, film producer
22. Steve Young, professional football player
23. Ellen DeGeneres, comedian
24. Calvin Klein, fashion designer
25. Kelsey Grammer, actor
26. Tupac Shakur, musician
27. Lauryn Hill, musician
28. Boris Yeltsin, Russian president
29. Kurt Cobain, musician
30. Anna Kournikova, professional tennis player
31. Quentin Tarantino, film director
32. Will Smith, actor
33. Michael Jackson, musician
34. Dan Quayle, US vice-president
35. Oscar De La Hoya, professional boxer
    

Infographics are most easily utilized in PowerPoint (or a comparable program, such as Canva). Additionally, if you are experienced in them, you may also use Photoshop or Illustrator, though it is by no means required.

A well-executed infographic will:

• Have the title: ______________ in the ‘90s
• Have a concise thesis as the subheading—important
• Have a design and style dictated by the subject
• Stay within the parameters of a profile of a major '90s newsmaker

Due: Wed 10.21 (Draft 1); Wed 10.28 (Draft 2)

Week 9: Friends (1994)

Week 9: Friends (1994)
Mon 10.12/Wed 10.14
Read: COL—Ch. 16: The Boy in the Window – Ch. 25: Threesome
Class: Reading discussion; Multimedia presentations; Lecture—“Infographics 101”
Due: REFLECTION 3

Upcoming:

Week 10: “All I Wasn’t for Christmas is You” (1994)
Mon 10.19/Wed 10.21
Read: COL—Ch. 26: Help is on the Way – Ch. 30: Telling Us Why
Class: Reading discussion; Multimedia presentations
Due: INFOGRAPHIC (DRAFT 1)

 

Reflection 3: The Invisible Soldiers—On the Legacy of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"

"Don't Ask, Don't Tell" (DADT) was the official US military policy on LGBT servicemembers instituted by the Clinton Administration. At the time, the presence of gay soldiers in the military was a flashpoint in the culture wars on the '90s. Conservatives argued that the presence of homosexuals would lower the morale of troops—to be clear, homosexuals have never not existed in the military (even as far back as Greek armies). Their opposition came in the form of a young Democratic president named Bill Clinton. Clinton was not only the first presidential candidate to speak openly about gay rights, he also favored openly-gay service members. After a contentious debate—not only in Washington, but across the country—"Don't Ask, Don't Tell" emerged as a compromise policy. Where gay service members were previously prohibited, they were now allowed to serve so long as their sexual orientation was kept secret. Also, military personal were barred from asking about a soldier's sexuality. It was an imperfect policy—and one that President Clinton long regretted. Still, it remained in place until another young Democratic president, Barack Obama, repealed it in 2011.

What has been the legacy of DADT? How was the US military changed in the nine years service members have been allowed to serve openly? Finally, how has President Trump's ban of transgender soldiers revived the 1990s-era debate?

Choose at least two of the following to include in your discussion:

• "Once Banned, Then Silenced: How Clinton's 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' Policy Affected LGBT Military" (History)
• "The Awkward Clinton-Era Debate Over 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell'" (TheAtlantic)
• "LGBT Service Members are Allowed to be Out and Proud, but a Fear of Repercussions Persists" (MilitaryTimes)
• "Vice President Joe Biden on the Ninth Anniversary of the Repeal of 'Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell'" (LGBTQNation) 
• "Queer Service Member: Trump’s Trans Ban ‘is About Fear and Loathing of Transgender Americans’" (TheWorld)

Mechanics:

• 1.5 pages in length
• MLA Style, plus works cited

Due: Wed 10.14 (via Canvas)