Department of Sociology records, 1910s-1998

Summary Information

At a Glance

Arrangement

Arrangement

This collection is arranged in three series.

• Series I. Administrative records and publications, 1945-1998
• Series II. Publications, 1952-1967
• Series III. Graduate student cards, 1909-1979

Description

Summary

This collection consists of the administrative records of the Department of Sociology such as departmental meeting minutes and correspondence. Included are a number of publications from Paul Felix Lazarsfeld's interest in quantifying methodologies for social research. There are also two boxes of index cards kept by department with information about former graduate students.

• Series I. Administrative records and publications, 1945-1998

  This series contains the minutes of the department's regular monthly (and sometimes luncheon) meetings. There is a selection of the Bureau of Applied Social Research (BASR) newsletters and other announcement sent to the department's main office for reference. The department was reviewed by the Committee on Instruction of the Graduate Faculty of Political Science and included in this series are copies of draft and final reports. Finally, there is a small selection of correspondence about graduate student progress and placement information from 1998.

• Series II. Publications, 1952-1967

  This series contains a number of dittoed publications that belonged to Paul Felix Lazarsfeld. The publications relate to the work on research methodology and qualitative and quantitative analysis of social research data.

• Series III. Graduate student cards, 1909-1979

  Graduate students enrolled in sociology classes were asked to complete an information card, which was kept by the department. The information collected on the cards varies (the template changes over the years) but for the most part, the card includes information about the student's background, academic record, research interests, and future plans. The cards were updated by the office staff and include information about the students' lives after they left Columbia. The cards related to students from 1909 to 1916 and then after a gap, the cards resume with students in 1932. The cards from the 1940s and 1950s may include a copy of the student's registration photograph. Cards are organized alphabetically by the student's last name.

Using the Collection

Rare Book and Manuscript Library

Restrictions on Access

You will need to make an appointment in advance to use this collection material in the Rare Book and Manuscript Library reading room. You can schedule an appointment once you've submitted your request through your Special Collections Research Account.

All administrative records of the University are restricted for 25 years from the date of creation.

The following box is located off-site: Box 1. You will need to request this material at least three business days in advance to use the collection in the Rare Book and Manuscript Library reading room.

Terms Governing Use and Reproduction

Single photocopies may be made for research purposes. The RBML maintains ownership of the physical material only. Copyright remains with the creator and his/her heirs. The responsibility to secure copyright permission rests with the patron.

Preferred Citation

Identification of specific item; Date (if known); Department of Sociology Records; Box and Folder (if known); University Archives, Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Columbia University Libraries.

Related Materials

Bureau of Applied Social Research Records, 1944-1976 (MS#0166); Paul Felix Lazarsfeld Papers [ca. 1930]-1976. (MS#0753).

Accrual of Records

No additions are expected.

About the Finding Aid / Processing Information

Columbia University Libraries, Rare Book and Manuscript Library

Processing Information

This collection was processed by Joanna Rios and Jessica Liston (CC 2020). Finding aid written by Joanna Rios in February 2019.

Revision Description

2019-02-17 File created.

2019-05-20 EAD was imported spring 2019 as part of the ArchivesSpace Phase II migration.

Subject Headings

The subject headings listed below are found in this collection. Links below allow searches at Columbia University through the Archival Collections Portal and through CLIO, the catalog for Columbia University Libraries, as well as ArchiveGRID, a catalog that allows users to search the holdings of multiple research libraries and archives.

All links open new windows.

Subject

History / Biographical Note

Biographical / Historical

In 1894 Franklin H. Giddings became the first professor of sociology at Columbia University. The department grew in scope and depth in between World Wars with Robert S. Lynd (1931-1942) and Robert MacIver (1929-1950). In 1941 both Robert Merton and Paul Lazarsfeld joined the department and their collaboration extended into the 1970s. They helped the department play a leading role in the national growth of sociology and the other social sciences after World War II.