Digital project reveals gossip and scandal of the New York elite!

Digital project reveals gossip and scandal of the New York elite!

On September 25, 2025, 16 American Studies students at the University of Greifswald presented a remarkable digital project. Under the title "What in the Gilded Age. Gossip and Scandal in New York's High Society", the project deals intensively with gossip and scandal within New York's high society around 1900. The management was Prof. Dr. Katrin Horn, who encouraged the team to research historical and media issues.

The project focuses in particular on the magazine "Town Topics. The Journal of Society", which was run by William d'Alton Mann and appeared from 1883 to 1930. This publication contained not only literary and theater reviews, but also stock market news, poems, and a special section for gossip and scandal that offered biographical details about prominent personalities. It functioned as a reflection of the social norms and values ​​of the time, which were largely influenced by the emerging celebrity culture.

Digital preparation of historical sources

The students used various forms of digital media to convey their historical insights. The range ranged from quizzes to interactive maps to Instagram accounts and blogs. These methods not only demonstrated the results of their research, but also their relevance to today's media culture. The aim was to make the historical material attractive and understandable for a wider audience.

A central aspect of the project was the examination of the strategies for dealing with newspapers in the 19th century as well as the legal discussions on privacy. The students developed their own research questions and implemented them in digital formats.

Cooperation and reflection

A particular focus of the project was on teamwork. The students created a constructive feedback system to promote mutual support. This not only increased awareness of the challenges of digital science communication, but also sharpened skills in project management and editorial collaboration. Prof. Dr. Katrin Horn emphasized the advantages of cooperation and experimenting with new forms of representation.

In addition to the historical research, the team experienced a process of reflection on their own contributions and the process of creating the project. This reflection ensured that the students see themselves not only as researchers, but also as active designers of science communication. In view of developments in digitalization, it is becoming increasingly clear how science communication can be rethought in order to meet social challenges and how closely the transfer of knowledge is interwoven with the needs of society.

In a broader context, the history of Town Topics under Mann shows that Gossip and Scandal not only represents a methodical approach to understanding the social dynamics of the time, but also points to the development of media practices that continue to attract attention today. Mann, known for his blackmail practices, combined the phenomenon of celebrity culture with his magazine's scandal-ridden reporting. The intertwining of power, money and gossip that we can observe in the Gilded Age is therefore an exciting field for American studies students to explore with fresh perspectives and digital tools.

Further information on the topic can be found in the detailed reports from University of Greifswald, Town & Country and Academia.edu.