Paula Kamen papers, 1970-2006 and undated, bulk 1991-2002

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Portions of this collection are not open to research until 2057. Restricted materials consist of personal interviews conducted by Kamen which are in an audio format and correspondence related to...
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Summary

Creator:
Kamen, Paula
Abstract:
Paula Kamen was born in Chicago and grew up in Flossmoor, Illinois. She received a bachelor's degree in journalism in 1989 from the University of Illinois. Kamen is a Chicago-based (current as of 2007) journalist, playwright, and the author of a number of books, including one of the first books to describe the third wave of feminism. Articles and book reviews by Kamen have been published in The New York Times, Washington Post, Ms., Chicago Tribune, among others, and more than a dozen anthologies. Kamen is also a frequent public speaker and has appeared at over 70 universities. A focus of the collection, which spans the years 1971-2006, is on Generation X women, feminism, and sexuality. Contains a Writings Series which includes research files, drafts, and publicity-related files for all of Kamen's major works as of 2006, as well as drafts of and materials related to articles and other shorter pieces written by Kamen. Works represented are the nonfiction books All In My Head: An Epic Quest to Cure an Unrelenting, Totally Unreasonable, and Only Slightly Enlightening Headache, Feminist Fatale: Voices from the Twentysomething Generation Explore the Future of the Women's Movement, Her Way: Young Women Remake the Sexual Revolution, and the plays Jane: Abortion and the Underground and Seven Dates with Seven Writers. Other series in the collection are Conferences and Engagements, with files relating to Kamen's frequent speaking engagements, particularly at universities; Subject Files, an extensive array of clippings and articles maintained by Kamen on a wide range of feminist subjects primarily in the 1990s; Audiovisual Materials, and Printed Materials.
Extent:
57 Linear Feet
30,000 Items
Language:
Material in English.
Collection ID:
RL.00765

Background

Scope and content:

The Paula Kamen Papers span the years 1970-2006, with the bulk of the material dating from 1991 to 2002. The collection documents Kamen's career as a writer and journalist. Specific topics covered by Kamen and addressed in the collection are Generation X women, feminism, and sexuality, abortion, popular culture, and chronic pain. The collection is organized into five series: Writings, Conferences and Engagements, Subject Files, Audiovisual Materials, and Printed Materials.

The Writings Series includes research files, drafts, and publicity-related files for all of Kamen's major works as of 2006, as well as drafts of and materials related to articles and other shorter pieces written by Kamen. The Other Files subseries primarily includes correspondence related to the publishing of Kamen's writings, and also contains pieces in which Kamen is cited. Works represented in the Writings Series are the nonfiction books All In My Head: An Epic Quest to Cure an Unrelenting, Totally Unreasonable, and Only Slightly Enlightening Headache,Feminist Fatale: Voices from the "Twentysomething" Generation Explore the Future of the "Women's Movement,"Her Way: Young Women Remake the Sexual Revolution, and the plays Jane: Abortion and the Underground and Seven Dates with Seven Writers.

Materials in the Conferences and Engagements Series document Kamen's frequent speaking engagements at college and university campuses, bookstores, and conferences throughout the 1990s. A significant number of these talks were in support of her books Feminist Fatale and Her Way.

The Subject Files Series contains files maintained by Kamen on a wide range of subjects pertaining to her writing interests. Topics covered in this series include feminism, activism, politics, popular culture, and sex, along with many others. These files consist primarily of clippings from magazines, newspapers, and other publications.

The Audiovisual Materials Series contains audio cassettes, micro cassettes, compact discs, videotapes, and photographs. A majority of these materials are recordings of interviews conducted by Kamen during the course of researching her books and articles. Other recordings are from conferences attended by Kamen, a production of Kamen's play, Seven Dates with Seven Writers, and copies of television programs which included appearances by Kamen. Photographic material consists of photographs taken at the 1993 March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights and at an undated production of Kamen's play, Seven Dates with Seven Writers.

Items in the Printed Materials Series consist of 20 issues of the magazines Deneuve and Curve. Other magazines and a number of zines are filed separately, with the Bingham Center's Women's, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Movements Periodical Collection, and with the Bingham Center's Women's Zine Collection, respectively. A complete list of these titles may be found in the Items Separated section of this document.

Biographical / historical:

Paula Kamen was born in Chicago and grew up in Flossmoor, Illinois. She received a bachelor's degree in journalism in 1989 from the University of Illinois. Kamen is a Chicago-based (current as of 2007) journalist, playwright, and the author of a number of books, including one of the first books to describe the "third wave" of feminism. Articles and book reviews by Kamen have been published in The New York Times, Washington Post, Ms., Chicago Tribune, among others, and more than a dozen anthologies. Kamen is also a frequent public speaker and has appeared at over 70 universities.

Acquisition information:
The Paula Kamen Papers were received by the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book Manuscript Library as a purchase in 2004.
Processing information:

Processed by Jodi Berkowitz, Andrea Combs, Beth Ann Koelsch, and Carolyn Powell

Completed March 2007

Accessions 2004-0331 and 2006-0056 were merged into one collection, described in this finding aid.

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Contents

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Using These Materials


Restrictions:

Portions of this collection are not open to research until 2057. Restricted materials consist of personal interviews conducted by Kamen which are in an audio format and correspondence related to All In My Head: An Epic Quest to Cure an Unrelenting, Totally Unreasonable, and Only Slightly Enlightening Headache. Additionally, researchers are asked not to quote the names of non-activist individuals quoted within the collection.

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Please contact Research Services staff before visiting the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library to use this collection.

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Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Paula Kamen Papers, David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University.