Linda Williams papers (Ms.2015.011)

This collection contains the papers of film studies scholar Linda Williams from approximately 1962 to 2010, documenting her academic career through correspondence, research, teaching and conference materials. Subjects of the papers include pornography, other "body genre" films such as horror films, and race in film, among other topics. Throughout the collection, folders are arranged alphabetically unless otherwise specified, and make up 6 complete series, the last of which is restricted. Original folder titles created by Williams are listed in quotation marks while the processor created the remaining folder titles and the final arrangement for the collection.

Series 1, Pornography, documents Linda Williams’ research on pornography. The majority of this material pertains to the second edition of her book, Hard Core, published in 1999, with new material focusing on pornography outside the white heterosexual sphere as well as pornography in the age of the Internet. It is made up of three subseries: Film Notes, Research by Author, and Research by Subject. “Film Notes” contain handwritten notes and observations on a variety of pornographic and/or erotic films, as well as collected newspaper or magazine articles pertaining to those works. The “Research by Author” subseries contains collected relevant scholarly materials arranged by author’s last name. The “Research by Subject” subseries collects Williams’ pornography research by subject. This subseries includes newspaper and magazine articles. This subseries also contains two research binders that would evolve as the basis of the first edition of her seminal work, Hard Core (first edition, 1989). Also interspersed within this series is personal communication or ephemera between Williams and artists working in pornography. Most significant among these are important figures Radley Metzger, Annie Sprinkle, and Nina Hartley. Newspaper articles have been photocopied for preservation purposes.

Series 2, General Film Notes and Reviews, documents Williams’ research of non-pornography based films. Materials include handwritten notes and collected film reviews arranged alphabetically by film title.

Series 3, Teaching Materials, documents some of Williams’ teaching career and is arranged into 5 subseries according to the general topic of each course: Feminist Theory Courses; Musicals; Pornography Courses; “Provocation of Desire;” and Race Movies. Within each subseries, files are divided into course packets and research. Course packets include correspondence, course descriptions, notes, paper assignments and related questions of inquiry, reading lists, selected readings, and syllabi, and among other materials. Research files include Williams’ notes and articles that relate directly to each course and that likely contributed to course development.

Series 4, Conference Materials, documents Williams’ participation at professional conferences, either as an attendee or a speaker. Files are arranged alphabetically by topic and include correspondence, programs, schedules, papers and other talks presented by Williams.

Series 5, Other Research Materials, document Williams’ scholarly research likely for publication. Files are arranged alphabetically by topic and include film lists, film reviews, notes, articles, drafts, photographs, and posters, among other items.

Series 6, Restricted Material, contains restricted files pulled from throughout the collection. Files are arranged alphabetically by topic and include names lists, student papers, and course packets that also contain evaluations by students and other student records. Files are closed for 80 years from the date of creation.