Dorothy Ko papers (Ms.2019.006)

This collection consists of the personal and professional papers of Dorothy Ko, scholar of gender and body in early modern China and professor of history and women's studies at Barnard College. The collection includes personal correspondence and photographs, but primarily documents Ko's academic career through correspondence, conference materials, syllabi, and handwritten notes. The collection spans from 1978 to 2018 and is arranged into 12 series.

Series 1, PERSONAL, 1982 – 2008, contains an address book, planners, a wall calendar, and promotional materials such as post cards and flyers for lectures by Ko. This series is arranged alphabetically by record type.

Series 2, CORRESPONDENCE, 1978 – 2011, contains personal and professional correspondence. Topics within the personal correspondence include thank you notes and holiday cards. Topics within the professional correspondence include invitations to talks as well as Ko's hire at Rutgers University Some correspondence can also be found in series 3, Conferences, series 5, Writings, and series 7, Subject Files. Ko's original folder titles are written in quotations. The processor created all other folder titles. This series is arranged chronologically, then by provenance, and then alphabetically by topic.

Series 3, CONFERENCES, 1994 – 2018, includes programs, schedules, handwritten notes, and some talks authored by Ko. Additional writings that were not associated with specific conferences can be found in series 5, Writings. Conferences include the Association of Asian Studies annual meetings, Female Bodies of Knowledge, Good Sex: Women's Religious Wisdom on Sexuality, and Women in Confucian Cultures as organized by Ko. This series is arranged alphabetically by conference title then by record type.

Series 4, TEACHING, 1991 – 2002, includes syllabi, handwritten notes, and course proposals, as well as syllabi from other professors likely used as research for Ko's own courses. Courses of interest include The Body and Textuality: Shaping a Cultural History of China; Teachers of the Inner Chamber: Women and Culture in Seventeenth Century China; and Women Im/migrants: Memories of Home in Asian America. This series is arranged alphabetically by course title then by record type.

Series 5, WRITINGS, 1995 – 2018, includes annotated drafts, handwritten notes, and research materials for talks and articles. Titles include "Between the Boudoir and the Global Market: Shen Shou, Embroidery, and Modernity at the Turn of the Twentieth Century;" "Locating Women and Gender in China," and "The Subject of Pain." This series is arranged alphabetically by project title then by record type.

Series 6, BATA SHOE MUSEUM EXHIBIT, 1996 – 2006, contains clippings, handwritten notes, a notebook, photographs, slides, and support materials such as handouts regarding Ko's work as guest curator for the "Shoes in the Lives of Women in Late Imperial China" exhibit at the Bata Shoe Museum in Toronto. This series is arranged alphabetically by record type.

Series 7, SUBJECT FILES, 1989 – 2008, includes handwritten notes, clippings, readings, and photos related to people and topics. Of particular note are folders on The Pacific Century, a PBS documentary series; Rising Sun, a movie starring Sean Connery and Wesley Snipes; and The X Files, a television show. Ko served as a consultant of Asian history and culture for all three programs. This series is arranged alphabetically by people then by subject.

Series 8, PHOTOGRAPHS, 1981 – 1991, contains color photographs and negatives arranged in original order. Additional photos can be found in series 3, Conferences, series 6, Bata Shoe Museum Exhibit, and series 7, Subject Files. This series is arranged alphabetically by record type then by date.

Series 9, PRINT MATERIAL, 1979 – 2010, contains a bound book of conference papers and periodicals. Titles of interest include "Pray for China Bi-Monthly" and "United States Guide to Asia Apparel and Fabric." This series is arranged alphabetically by title.

Series 10, OVERSIZE MATERIALS, 2001 – 2009, contains large photocopied clippings regarding Ko's exhibit at the Bata Shoe Museum as well as posters for talks by Ko. This series is arranged alphabetically by record type then by title.

Series 11, ELECTRONIC RECORDS ON REMOVABLE CARRIERS, 1999 – 2001, contains 3.5 inch disks, an audio cassette, and a CD. Topics include teaching at Rutgers and Ko's writings. Ko's annotations are written in quotations. The processor created all other titles. This series is arranged alphabetically by record type then by original title listed on each carrier.

Series 12, RESTRICTED, 1981 – 1994, contains photographs and correspondence. This series is arranged by record type. The photographs and correspondence to and from C.L. are restricted for 30 years until January 1, 2049 after which date the materials will open without restriction. The correspondence regarding the child welfare case is restricted for 75 years until January 1, 2094, after which date the materials will open without restriction.