Mary Ann Doane papers (Ms.2011.020)

This collection documents the writings, education and professional activities of feminist film scholar Mary Ann Doane from roughly 1966 through 2009. It is comprised mainly of handwritten notes and course materials from Doane’s studies, drafts and copies of her articles and books, and versions of her writings delivered at lectures and conferences. Also included are handwritten research notes, professional correspondence, notes from Doane’s involvement in organizations at Brown University, teaching materials, and photocopies of articles used for research.

The collection is arranged into 5 series:

Series 1. Education. This series is comprised of three subseries: Secondary Education (1966-1969); Undergraduate Studies, Cornell University (1970-1974); and Graduate Studies, University of Iowa (1974-1979). It contains course materials, including many spiral bound class notebooks and other handwritten class notes; academic essays, some with commentary from professors; honors and dissertation prospectus notes; and drafts and letters of application to academic positions. The series also includes a few workbooks, literary journals, and art books dating from high school.

Series 2. Research and Publications: A large portion of the series is comprised of handwritten notes, drafts and final copies, reviews and related correspondence about the books The Desire to Desire (Indiana University Press, 1987), Femmes Fatales (Routledge, 1991), and The Emergence of Cinematic Time (Harvard University Press, 2002). It also contains correspondence, notes, and drafts of articles that appeared in a special issue of differences entitled "Indexicality: Trace and Sign," edited by Doane in 2007.

Series 3. Conferences and Talks: This is a collection of notes and drafts of conference papers, invited lectures, and addresses presented by Doane, as well as materials and notes from conferences she attended. The materials date from 1980 to 2009.

Series 4. Professional Activities: This diverse series contains a variety of materials relating to Doane’s academic and professional career, including correspondence about fellowships and job offers; committee and department notes; and notes and correspondence related to the 2001-02 Pembroke Seminar. The series also contains several course syllabi and letters from students, newspaper clippings, and a copy of the 1979 proposal for the Pembroke Center.

Series 5. Media: This includes roughly 70 3.5 inch floppy disks and 20 Zip disks dating from the 1990s and early 2000s, as well as several reels of 16 mm film Doane produced while in graduate school.