Guide to the Karen Brodkin papers, 1960-2010

John Hay Library, University Archives and Manuscripts
Box A
Brown University
Providence, RI 02912
Telephone: Manuscripts: 401-863-3723; University Archives: 401-863-2148
Email: Manuscripts: hay@brown.edu; University Archives: archives@brown.edu

Published in 2015

Collection Overview

Title:	Karen Brodkin papers
Date range:	1960-2010
Creator:	Brodkin, Karen
Abstract:	The Karen Brodkin Papers consist of writings, photographs, audio and visual materials, correspondence, and ephemera from 1960-2010. The materials in the collection relate to her research and work in the field of Anthropology.
Language of materials:	English
Repository:	John Hay Library, University Archives and Manuscripts
Collection number:	Ms.2010.007

Scope & content

The Karen Brodkin papers contain materials related to and including Brodkin’s writings, talks, trips to Cuba, professional organizations, and conferences. Brodkin’s materials are arragned according to her own organizational scheme. The “Writings” subseries contains Brodkin’s articles and book reviews written of other authors’ works, along with articles reviewing or citing her works. The “Talks” subseries includes physical copies of talks she presented throughout her career. Within these two subseries are some audio and video recordings and discs of her talks and her research. The “Travel to Cuba” subseries includes newspaper clippings, stamps, notebooks, documents relating to her lost passport case, and a disc of pictures from her two trips to Cuba. The “Professional Organizations and Conferences” subseries includes programs and newsletters for specific organizations and conferences, including. The “Non-Teaching Faculty Activity” subseries includes papers relating to various events Brodkin participated in while Brodkin a faculty member at various institutions. The “Miscellaneous” subseries contains a booklet of WAC Stats and information about a Guess? Workers controversy.

Access Points

Subject Names

• Brodkin, Karen

Subject Organizations

• Feminist Theory Archive.
• Pembroke Center for Teaching and Research on Women.

Subject Topics

• Feminist theory
• Gender Issues
• Jews--Study and teaching
• Social Anthropology

Occupations

• Professors
• Anthropologists

Document Types

• Audiovisual Materials
• Correspondence
• Manuscripts
• Publications
• Speeches

Subject Topics

• Race, Ethnicity, and Gender

Arrangement

The collection is divided into the following series:

Series 1. Accession from 2010

• Subseries 1. Writings
• Subseries 2. Talks
• Subseries 3. Travel to Cuba
• Subseries 4. Professional Organizations and Conferences
• Subseries 5. Non-Teaching Faculty Activity
• Subseries 6. Miscellaneous.

Series 2. Accession from 2015

Biographical note

Karen Brodkin is a prominent figure in the field of Anthropology. Her research focuses on gender studies and race studies, primarily dealing with Jewish issues. Brodkin received her A.B. from Brandeis University in 1963, her M.A. from Harvard University in 1964, and her Ph.D. from the University of Michigan in 1971. Her dissertation was titled “Economic Bases of Sexual Equality: A Comparative Study of Four African Societies.” She held Assistant Professor positions at several universities from 1967-1980 and spent seven years at Oakland University during that time. After holding various other faculty positions, Brodkin served for six years as the Director of Women’s Studies at UCLA beginning in 1987. In 1989, she became Professor of Anthropology and Women’s Studies at UCLA, and is currently Professor Emerita.

Brodkin has received several fellowships, honors, and grants in her scholarly career, including an Honorable Mention for the Gustavus Myers Outstanding Book Award for How Jews Became White Folks and What That Says About Race in America (Rutgers University Press, 1998) and the Conrad Arensberg Award from the Society for the Anthropology of Work for Caring by the Hour (University of Illinois Press, 1998). Her other awards include two National Science Foundation grants.

Brodkin’s published books are Sisters and Wives: The Past and Future of Sexual Equality (University of Illinois Press, 1982), My Troubles are Going to Have Trouble with Me (Rutgers University Press, 1984), Making Democracy Matter: Identity and Activism in Los Angeles (Rutgers University Press, 2007), and Power Politics: Environmental Activism in South Los Angeles (Rutgers University Press, 2009). She has also been published in scholarly journals including Anthropologica, American Ethnologist, and Jewish Currents, and has served on over fifteen editorial and advisory boards.

Access & Use

Access to the collection:	There are no restrictions on access, except that the collection can only be seen by prior appointment. Some materials may be stored off-site and cannot be produced on the same day on which they are requested.
Use of the materials:	Although Brown University has physical ownership of the collection and the materials contained therein, it does not claim literary rights. Researchers should note that compliance with copyright law is their responsibility. Researchers must determine the owners of the literary rights and obtain any necessary permissions from them.
Preferred citation:	Karen Brodkin papers, Ms.2010.007, Feminist Theory Archive, Brown University Library.
Contact information:	John Hay Library, University Archives and Manuscripts Box A Brown University Providence, RI 02912 Telephone: Manuscripts: 401-863-3723; University Archives: 401-863-2148 Email: Manuscripts: hay@brown.edu; University Archives: archives@brown.edu

Administrative Information

ABOUT THE COLLECTION
Acquisition:	Gift of Karen Brodkin beginning in 2009.
Accruals:	Further accruals for this collection are possible.
Processing information:	Collection processed in 2010 by Miranda Nero, with additions processed in 2015 by Wendy Korwin.
ABOUT THE FINDING AID
Author:	Finding aid prepared by Miranda Nero and Wendy Korwin on behalf of the Pembroke Center for the Teaching and Research on Women and the Brown University Library.
Encoding:	This finding aid was produced using the Archivists' Toolkit 2015-05-26
Descriptive rules:	Finding aid based on Describing Archives: A Content Standard (DACS)
Sponsor:	Curatorial work and processing provided by the Pembroke Center for Teaching and Research on Women on behalf of the Feminist Theory Archive, Brown University Library.

Additional Information

Related material:

To find Karen Brodkin's published works, follow this link: Brodkin,Karen.

Inventory

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