Guide to the Lauren Berlant papers, 1922-2019
(bulk 1970-2019)
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 2021
Collection Overview
Title: |
Lauren Berlant papers |
Date range: |
1922-2019, (1970-2019) |
Creator: |
Berlant, Lauren Gail |
Extent: |
5 Linear Feet
|
Abstract: |
This collection contains personal and professional papers of Lauren Berlant, the George M. Pullman Distinguished Service Professor at the University of Chicago. Berlant's scholarship focuses on queer theory, power, and boundary drawing between public and private spheres. Materials in this collection include correspondence, conference files, lecture and poetry drafts, handwritten research notes, and print materials, dating from 1922 – 2019 (bulk 1970 – 2019). |
Repository: |
John Hay Library, University Archives and Manuscripts
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Collection number: |
Ms.2015.009 |
Scope & content
This collection contains personal and professional papers of Lauren Berlant, the George M. Pullman Distinguished Service Professor at the University of Chicago. Berlant's scholarship focuses on queer theory, power, and boundary drawing between public and private spheres. Materials in this collection include correspondence, conference files, lecture and poetry drafts, handwritten research notes, and print materials, dating from 1922 – 2019 (bulk 1970 – 2019). This collection is arranged into 10 series.
Series 1, Personal and Biographical, 1983 – 2019, contains articles and interviews about and with Berlant, correspondence, and photographs. This series is arranged alphabetically by record type.
Series 2, ADMINISTRATIVE AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT, 1985 – 2019, includes files relating to Berlant's Leverhulme Visiting Professorships and programs for various events. Of particular note are materials related to Faculty for Divestment from South Africa. This series is arranged alphabetically by record type.
Series 3, CONFERENCES, 1996 – 2019, includes programs, agendas, and handwritten notes from conferences Berlant attended. Conferences include "Forms of Attachment: Affect at the Limits of the Political," "Pleasureless: A Queer Symposium," and "You Hurt My Feelings: Anxiety, Urgency, Outrage, Hope... A Conference on Political Feeling." This series is arranged alphabetically by conference title.
Series 4, TEACHING, 1961 – 2015, includes syllabi and readings for courses taught by Berlant. Courses include "American Women and Waiting," "Feminism and the Public Sphere," and "Queer Arts After Stonewall." This series is arranged alphabetically by course title.
Series 5, WRITINGS, circa 1980 – 2019, includes talk drafts and poetry drafts by Berlant. This series is arranged alphabetically by writing format then by title when available.
Series 6, RESEARCH, 1942 – 1997, contains annotated articles Berlant used for research. Topics include "Improving higher education" and the National Organization of Women. This series is arranged alphabetically by topic.
Series 7, PRINT MATERIALS, 1922 – 2019, includes books, journals, and a zine featuring works by Berlant and others. Titles include
The Anti-Capitalism Reader,
Reading Sedgwick, and
differences: Difference: Reading Barbara Johnson volume 17 number 3. This series is arranged alphabetically by format then by title.
Series 8, EPHEMERA, n.d., contains 2 t-shirts Berlant obtained at conferences. This series is arranged alphabetically by writing on the shirt.
Series 9, OVERSIZE MATERIALS, circa 1980 – 2019, includes awards and conference posters. This series is arranged alphabetically by format then by title.
Series 10, ELECTRONIC RECORDS, 1991 – 2012, contains cassette tapes, 3.5" computer diskettes, and CDs. This series is arranged alphabetically by record type then by title listed on the carrier.
Access Points
Subject Organizations
Subject Topics
Arrangement
This collection is arragned into 10 series.
Biographical/Historical Note
Lauren Berlant (1957-2021) was born on October 31, 1957, in Philadelphia and grew up in suburban Penn Valley. They graduated from Oberlin College in 1979 with an AB in English and went on to earn a master’s degree in 1983 and then a Ph.D. in 1985, both in English and from Cornell University.
Berlant joined the University of Chicago faculty in 1984 and served as the George M. Pullman Distinguished Service Professor of English, Gender Studies and the Humanities. Their scholarship focused on what sentimentality means in American culture for gender, sexuality and politics. Specifically, they sought to define the desires and emotions that compel people to create forms of life that support a sense of belonging, and the complex ways in which gender, race, citizenship, class and sexuality affect and mold those attachments.
Berlant’s career-defining entry to national sentimentality and affect theory began through the study of historical novels during their doctoral studies at Cornell University. At that time, their scholarship focused on how a historical novel produces a story that moves between history and subjectivity, often entwining a law plot and a love plot. Berlant recognized how structural, functional, and political norms synergize and shape subjectivity.
Notable books authored by Berlant include The Female Complaint: The Unfinished Business of Sentimentality in American Culture (2004); The Anatomy of National Fantasy: Hawthorne, Utopia, and Everyday Life (1991); and The Queen of America Goes to Washington City: Essays on Sex and Citizenship (1997).
Berlant passed away on June 28, 2021, from a rare form of cancer at the age of 63.
The information cited in this section was retrieved from The University of Chicago in 2021. https://news.uchicago.edu/story/lauren-berlant-preeminent-literary-scholar-and-cultural-theorist-1957-2021
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: |
All researchers seeking to publish materials from the collections of the John Hay Library are requested to complete a Notice of Intent to Publish, available on the John Hay Library website or by request, prior to reproducing, quoting, or otherwise publishing any portion or extract from this collection. Although Brown University has physical ownership of the collection and the materials contained therein, it does not claim literary rights. It is up to the researcher to determine the owners of the literary rights and to obtain any necessary permissions from them. |
Preferred citation: |
Lauren Berlant papers, Ms.2015.009, 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 Lauren Berlant beginning in 2014. |
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ABOUT THE FINDING AID |
Author: |
Amanda Knox, 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 ArchivesSpace on 2021-07-01. |
Descriptive rules: |
Describing Archives: A Content Standard |
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
Inventory
Series 1. Personal and Biographical, 1983-2019
Box [31236073964374] 4, Folder 5 |
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Article about Berlant: "What They Talk About When They Talk About Love"
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1991 |
Box [31236104061802] 5, Folder 1 |
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Articles about Berlant
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1991, 2019 |
Box [31236104061802] 5, Folder 2 |
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Award: American Academy of Arts and Sciences; includes correspondence and induction program [see oversize folder for actual award]
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2018 |
Box [31236104061802] 5, Item 1 |
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Award: Norman Maclean Faculty Award
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2019 |
Box [31236073964374] 4, Folder 9 |
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Class Notes: "Publics and Privates," by MW and Lauren Berlant
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n.d. |
Box [31236073964374] 4, Folder 13 |
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Correspondence from E. G. Crichton; includes photo slides
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1991-1999 |
Box [31236073964374] 4, Folder 14 |
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Correspondence from Elizabeth Stephens; includes photo slides
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1992-1997 |
Box [31236073964374] 4, Folder 15 |
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Correspondence from "Harry;" includes photo slides
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n.d. |
Box [31236104061802] 5, Folder 3 |
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Correspondence from various senders: topics include thank you and birthday notes
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1989-2019 |
Box [31236073964374] 4, Folder 11 |
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Correspondence to T. Mitchell, Chair of the English Department at the University of Chicago
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1990 |
Box [31236073964374] 4, Folder 10 |
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Correspondence to Wendy Korwin at Pembroke Center Archives, Brown University
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2015 |
Box [31236073964374] 4, Folder 12 |
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Correspondence with Michael Warner from Duke University
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1994 |
Box [31236073964374] 4, Folder 16 |
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Ephemera & Photos
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1983-1989 |
Box [31236104061802] 5, Folder 4 |
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Interview with Berlant in Tank Magazine
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2014 |
Box [31236073964374] 4, Folder 6 |
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Interviews with/about Berlant
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1986-2008 |
Box [31236104061802] 5, Folder 5 |
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Notebook from "Eve"
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n.d. |
Box [31236073964374] 4, Folder 17 |
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Photograph: Berlant and Colleagues
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n.d. |
Box [31236073964374] 4, Folder 18 |
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Photograph: Lauren Berlant
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n.d. |
Box [31236104061802] 5, Folder 6 |
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Photos of Berlant
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n.d. |
Series 2. Administrative & Career Development, 1985-2019
Box [31236073964341] 1, Folder 9 |
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Professorship materials: Leverhulme Visiting Professorship
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2002 |
Box [31236073964341] 1, Folder 13 |
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Studies and groups materials
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1992-2000 |
Box [31236073964341] 1, Folder 14 |
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Faculty for Divestment from South Africa materials
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1985-1987 |
Box [31236104061802] 5, Folder 7 |
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Programs for various events
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2017-2019 |
Series 3. Conferences, 1996-2019
Box [31236073964341] 1, Folder 18 |
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ADE Western Summer Seminar, The University of Utah
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1996 |
Box [31236073964341] 1, Folder 15 |
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The CSST Colloquium
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n.d. |
Box [31236073964341] 1, Folder 19 |
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Emergent Publics, ERSC Research Seminar Series Seminar 3; Public Feelings: notes
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2009 |
Box [31236073964341] 1, Folder 20 |
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Forms of Attachment: Affect at the Limits of the Political
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2012 |
Box [31236104061802] 5, Folder 10 |
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Pleasureless: a queer symposium: program and handwritten notes
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n.d. |
Box [31236104061802] 5, Folder 8 |
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Psychological Prosthetics: helping you handle your emotional baggage in political times: packet
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n.d. |
Box [31236073964341] 1, Folder 21 |
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Rethinking Sex, University of Pennsylvania
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2009 |
Box [31236104061802] 5, Folder 9 |
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The Soup is on: Experiment in Critical Practice: pamphlet with cuts from The Hundreds
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2019 |
Box [31236073964341] 1, Folder 17 |
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You Hurt My Feelings: Anxiety, Urgency, Outrage, Hope... A Conference on Political Feeling: posters Access restrictions: This folder is currently unavailable.
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2007 |
Series 4. Teaching, 1961-2015
Box [31236104061802] 5, Folder 11 |
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Advanced Theories of Gender and Sexuality: syllabus
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2015 |
Box [31236073964358] 2, Folder 6 |
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Afro-American Women Writers: course materials (1 of 2)
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1989 |
Box [31236073964358] 2, Folder 7 |
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Afro-American Women Writers: course materials (2 of 2)
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1989 |
Box [31236073964358] 2, Folder 2 |
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After Great Pains: course materials
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2001 |
Box [31236073964358] 2, Folder 10 |
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American Women and Waiting: course materials
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1990 |
Box [31236073964358] 2, Folder 3 |
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Anthropology 319/Political Science 317: course materials and materials on Gender, Reason, and Nuclear Policy workshop
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1989 |
Box [31236073964358] 2, Folder 4 |
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Bad Originals of Godey's Lady's Book: course materials
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n.d. |
Box [31236104061802] 5, Folder 12 |
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Comedy Central 2: The Body's Genres: syllabus
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n.d. |
Box [31236073964358] 2, Folder 11 |
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Early American Novel: course materials (1 of 2)
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1988 |
Box [31236073964358] 2, Folder 12 |
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Early American Novel: course materials (2 of 2)
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1988 |
Box [31236073964358] 2, Folder 8 |
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English 306: course materials
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1995 |
Box [31236073964358] 2, Folder 14 |
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English 553: packet
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1987 |
Box [31236073964366] 3, Folder 18 |
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Feminism and the Public Sphere: course materials (1 of 4)
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n.d. |
Box [31236073964374] 4, Folder 1 |
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Feminism and the Public Sphere: course materials (2 of 4)
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n.d. |
Box [31236073964374] 4, Folder 2 |
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Feminism and the Public Sphere: course materials (3 of 4)
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n.d. |
Box [31236073964374] 4, Folder 3 |
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Feminism and the Public Sphere: course materials (4 of 4)
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n.d. |
Box [31236073964358] 2, Folder 15 |
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Feminism and the Public Sphere: course materials
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1991 |
Box [31236073964358] 2, Folder 16 |
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Feminism and the Public Sphere: course materials
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1991 |
Box [31236073964366] 3, Folder 17 |
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Feminism and the Public Sphere: Uris Library book reserve list
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1994 |
Box [31236073964358] 2, Folder 17 |
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Feminist Theory/Feminist Practice: course materials
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1988 |
Box [31236073964366] 3, Folder 3 |
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General Studies in the Humanities, Problems in Gender Studies-1: course materials
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1995 |
Box [31236073964358] 2, Folder 13 |
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Hawthorne and the Representation of Power: course materials
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n.d. |
Box [31236073964358] 2, Folder 9 |
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The Intimate Public Sphere: course materials
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n.d. |
Box [31236104061802] 5, Folder 13 |
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Queer Arts after Stonewall: syllabus
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n.d. |
Box [31236104061802] 5, Folder 14 |
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Theories of Sex and Gender: syllabus
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n.d. |
Box [31236104061802] 5, Folder 15 |
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The United States Historical Novel, 19th Century: sylabus
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2011 |
Box [31236073964358] 2, Folder 1 |
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Various courses: annotated copies of Godey's Lady's Book
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n.d. |
Box [31236073964341] 1, Folder 27 |
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Various courses: art & photographs.
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1990-1999 |
Box [31236073964366] 3, Folder 11 |
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Various courses: articles
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n.d. |
Box [31236073964358] 2, Folder 18 |
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Various courses: "Caper-Sauce: A Volume of Chit-Chat about Men, Women, and Things" by Fanny Fern
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n.d. |
Box [31236073964366] 3, Folder 12 |
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Various courses: "Fanny Fern: A Memorial Volume Containing Her Select Writings and a Memoir" by Jamer Parton (1 of 2)
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n.d. |
Box [31236073964366] 3, Folder 13 |
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Various courses: "Fanny Fern: A Memorial Volume Containing Her Select Writings and a Memoir" by James Parton (2 of 2)
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n.d. |
Box [31236073964358] 2, Folder 19 |
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Various courses: "Folly as it Flies; Hit at" by Fanny Fern
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1868 |
Box [31236073964374] 4, Folder 4 |
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Various courses: "Gabriel Over the White House" by Thomas Frederic Tweed
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1933 |
Box [31236073964366] 3, Folder 2 |
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Various courses: Gender and Sex Reader
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n.d. |
Box [31236073964366] 3, Folder 4 |
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Various courses: Godey's Lady's Book and Ladies' American Magazine
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n.d. |
Box [31236073964366] 3, Folder 5 |
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Various courses: Godey's Lady's Book and Ladies' Book and Magazine
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n.d. |
Box [31236073964366] 3, Folder 6 |
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Various courses: Godey's Lady's Book and Magazine
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n.d. |
Box [31236073964366] 3, Folder 7 |
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Various courses: Godey's Lady's Book and Magazine
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n.d. |
Box [31236073964366] 3, Folder 8 |
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Various courses: Godey's Lady's Book and Magazine
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n.d. |
Box [31236073964366] 3, Folder 9 |
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Various courses: Godey's Magazine and Lady's Book
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n.d. |
Box [31236073964366] 3, Folder 14 |
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Various courses: "Pencil Shavings" by Olive Higgins Prouty
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1961 |
Box [31236073964366] 3, Folder 1 |
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Various courses: "Rose Clark" by Fanny Fern
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n.d. |
Box [31236073964366] 3, Folder 10 |
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Various courses: "The Scarlet Letter" by Nathaniel Hawthorne
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1962 |
Box [31236073964374] 4, Folder 7 |
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Various courses: student evaluations, Cornell University
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1981-1982 |
Box [31236073964374] 4, Folder 8 |
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Various courses: student evaluations, University of Chicago
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1986-1991 |
Box [31236073964358] 2, Folder 5 |
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Various courses: syllabi
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1988-2012 |
Box [31236073964366] 3, Folder 15 |
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Various courses: Woman's Coming of Age, A Symposium by S. Schmalhauden and V. F. Calverton (1 of 2)
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1931 |
Box [31236073964366] 3, Folder 16 |
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Various courses: Woman's Coming of Age, A Symposium by S. Schmalhauden and V. F. Calverton (2 of 2)
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1931 |
Series 5. Writings, circa 1980-2019
Box [31236073964341] 1, Folder 1 |
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Poetry Access restrictions: This folder is currently unavailable.
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n.d. |
Box [31236104061802] 5, Folder 16 |
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Poetry
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n.d. |
Box [31236073964341] 1, Folder 2 |
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Poetry: "Series of Sonnets by Tom, Occasionally with Lauren"
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n.d. |
Box [31236073964341] 1, Folder 3 |
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Prose
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n.d. |
Box [31236073964341] 1, Folder 4 |
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Publications: critical writings & drafts (1 of 3)
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n.d. |
Box [31236073964341] 1, Folder 5 |
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Publications: critical writings & drafts (2 of 3) Access restrictions: This folder is currently unavailable.
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n.d. |
Box [31236073964341] 1, Folder 6 |
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Publications: critical writings & drafts (3 of 3)
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1987 |
Box [31236073964341] 1, Folder 7 |
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Publications: selected publications
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n.d. |
Box [31236073964341] 1, Folder 25 |
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Talk: Testimony and Ineloquence: drafts
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n.d. |
Box [31236073964341] 1, Folder 24 |
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Talk: Remembering Love, Forgetting Everything Else: draft
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n.d. |
Box [31236073964341] 1, Folder 16 |
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Talk: unidentified title(s): notes
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n.d. |
Series 6. Research, 1942-1997
Box [31236073964341] 1, Folder 22 |
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Improving Higher Education: research materials
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1989-1991 |
Box [31236073964341] 1, Folder 23 |
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NOW/ACLU: research materials Access restrictions: This folder is currently unavailable.
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1995 |
Box [31236073964341] 1, Folder 8 |
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Various topics: annotated articles
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1971-1997 |
Box [31236073964341] 1, Folder 10 |
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Various topics: magazine articles
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1942-1994 |
Box [31236073964341] 1, Folder 12 |
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Various topics: magazine articles
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1991-1996 |
Box [31236073964341] 1, Folder 11 |
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Various topics: magazine articles and historical documents
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1923-1989 |
Series 7. Print Materials, 1922-2019
Box [31236073964341] 1, Folder 26 |
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Book: The American Citizen's Handbook by Joy Elmer Morgan
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1968 |
Box [31236104061802] 5, Folder 17 |
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Book: The American Historical Novel
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1950 |
Box [31236104061802] 5, Folder 18 |
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Book: The Anti-Capitalism Reader
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2002 |
Box [31236104061802] 5, Folder 19 |
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Book: El Corazon de la Nacion
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2011 |
Box [31236104061802] 5, Folder 20 |
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Book: Cultural Studies and Political Theory
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2000 |
Box [31236104061802] 5, Folder 21 |
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Book: Reading Sedgwick
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2019 |
Box [31236104061802] 5, Folder 22 |
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Book: This Sex Which is Not One
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1977 |
Box [31236104061802] 5, Folder 23 |
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Book: United States Army Training Manual number 1: Studies in Citizenship for Recruits
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1922 |
Box [31236104061794] 6, Folder 1 |
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Book: Zines! volume 1
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1996 |
Box [31236104061794] 6, Folder 2 |
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Journal: differences: Difference: Reading Barbara Johnson volume 17 number 3
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2006 |
Box [31236104061794] 6, Folder 3 |
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Journal: Modern Philology volume 88 number 1
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1990 |
Box [31236104061794] 6, Folder 4 |
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Zine: Tropical Treatments
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1997 |
Series 8. Ephemera, n.d.
Box [31236104061794] 6, Folder 5 |
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T shirt: "Depressed? It might be political"
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n.d. |
Box [31236104061794] 6, Folder 6 |
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T shirt: "Soup on"
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n.d. |
Series 8. Oversize Materials, circa 1980-2018
Folder [31236104062339] Pembroke Center Archives catch-all oversize box 3XXX |
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Award: American Academy of Arts and Sciences
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2018 |
Folder [31236104062339] Pembroke Center Archives catch-all oversize box 3XXX |
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Posters for conferences and lectures
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Series 9. Electronic Records, 1991-2012
Box [31236073964374] 4, Folder 19 |
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Audio Cassette Tape: Lauren Berlant, Public Lecture, 05/22/03 (1 of 2)
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n.d. |
Box [31236073964374] 4, Folder 20 |
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Audio Cassette Tape: Lauren Berlant, Public Lecture, 05/22/03 (2 of 2)
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n.d. |
Box [31236073964374] 4, Folder 21 |
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3.5" Computer Diskette: "Feminist Theory Fall, '91" / "Film Research"
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1991-1992 |
Box [31236073964374] 4, Folder 22 |
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3.5" Computer Diskette: "Lauren's Stuff"
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n.d. |
Box [31236073964374] 4, Folder 23 |
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CD-R: "Female Complaint," MS_1
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n.d. |
Box [31236073964374] 4, Folder 24 |
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CD-R: "Now, Voyager" Ads
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n.d. |
Box [31236073964374] 4, Folder 25 |
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CD-ROM: BBC Radio Podcast on "Thinking Allowed," "Cruel Optimism."
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February 2012 |