Aaron Lecklider

Aaron Lecklider is a Professor and Graduate Program Director in the Department of American Studies at the University of Massachusetts Boston. He holds a PhD in American Studies from Boston University and is based in Wheatley Hall. His academic work centers on the intersections of sexuality, class, race, and gender in 20th-century American literature and culture, with a specific focus on radical histories and queer studies.

His research explores marginalized narratives in American radicalism, particularly the relationship between homosexuality and leftist movements. Lecklider’s publications investigate topics ranging from Cold War intellectualism to queer literary cultures. He has authored two major books: Love's Next Meeting: The Forgotten History of Homosexuality and the Left in American Culture (2021) and Inventing the Egghead: The Battle over Brainpower in American Culture (2013).

Lecklider’s articles span disciplines including cultural history, literature, art criticism, and music studies, consistently examining power structures through radical and queer lenses. His most frequent keywords include Homosexuality, Radical History, Class, and 20th-Century America, with recurring subfields such as Leftist Politics, Queer Theory, and Cultural Representation.

Beyond research, Lecklider curated the 2013 exhibit Lifelines: Recent Work by Avram Finkelstein, highlighting art from an ACT UP founder. He teaches courses including AMST 257 (Queer Literature and History), AMST 325L (Sexual Identities in American Culture), and AMST 603 (Historical Sequence II). His media contributions include critical commentaries in Slate, Washington Post, and The Abusable Past on topics like LGBTQ+ rights and academic inequality.