Thelma Z. Lavine papers

Access and use

Location of collection:
George Mason University
2400 Fenwick Library
Special Collections Research Center
Fenwick Library MS2FL
George Mason University
Fairfax, VA 22030
Contact for questions and access:
POC: Mieko Palazzo
Phone: (703) 993-2220
Fax: (703) 993-2669
Restrictions:

There are no access restrictions.

Terms of access:

The copyright and related rights status of this collection have not been evaluated (See http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/CNE/1.0/)

Preferred citation:

Thelma Z. Lavine papers, C0195, Special Collections Research Center, George Mason University Libraries.

Summary

Extent:
19.25 Linear Feet 43 boxes
Creator:
Lavine, T. Z.
Abstract:
Research papers, correspondence, articles, and notes that document the career of Thelma Z. Lavine, a philosophy professor who taught at George Mason University, George Washington University, and the University of Maryland. There are also approximately 324 audiotape cassettes of lectures by Lavine as well as radio show appearances.
Language:
English
Preferred citation:

Thelma Z. Lavine papers, C0195, Special Collections Research Center, George Mason University Libraries.

Background

Scope and content:

Research papers, correspondence, articles, and notes that document the career of Thelma Z. Lavine. There are also approximately 324 audiotape cassettes of lectures by Lavine as well as radio show appearances. The collection also includes almost 2,000 books, a small portion of which will be cataloged and housed in special collections.

Series 1, Correspondence: This series contains communications regarding Lavine's professional activities, including meetings, conferences, and symposia as well as journal submissions and presentations; correspondence relating to her MPT TV series and her book "From Socrates to Sartre: The Philosophic Quest;" correspondence with other scholars and philosophers; and fan mail from her students, readers, and viewers. This series is organized first alphabetically by subject and then chronologically.

Series 2, Research: This series contains notes, clippings, and other papers related to Lavine's work as a scholar and professional philosopher. This series includes published articles, book reviews, newspaper articles and editorials written by her and by others; research for her MPT show; and research which culminated in her book. Ranging from small local workshops to large international meetings, the conferences for which there are research, programs, and complete presentation papers cover a range of themes including the women's movement. This series also contains materials from Lavine's work as a student, scholar, and teacher. This series is first organized by subject and then chronologically.

Series 3, Publications: This series contains original books and professional journals which contain writings from Lavine. A seventh edition English-language copy of her book is present, as well as a copy of the Japanese-language edition. This series is organized chronologically.

Series 4, Audio/Visual: This series is comprised largely of audio cassette recordings. Included are classroom lectures and radio interviews, as well as a few miscellaneous items such as a memorial speech. Complete or nearly complete lecture series include "From Socrates to Sartre," "Philosophy 19th Century," "Philosophy 355," "Philosophy of America," "Philosophy of History," "Philosophy and Literature/Philosophy of Literature," and "Philosophy and Social Science/Social Philosophy." This series is organized first by subject and then chronologically.

Biographical / historical:

Born in Boston, Massachusetts, on February 12, 1915, Thelma Z. Lavine taught philosophy for over 40 years, mostly at universities in the Washington, D.C. area. Her teaching career began after she received doctoral degrees in Psychology and Philosophy from Harvard University in 1939. Prior to that, she completed an undergraduate degree at Radcliffe College in 1936. A popular lecturer, she taught at the University of Maryland in the 1950s and 1960s, then accepted a teaching position at George Washington University. She joined the faculty at George Mason University as a Robinson Professor in 1985 and taught there until she retired in 1998.

An active and well-respected philosophy professor, Lavine served in many organizations, including as president of the Washington Philosophy Club, on the Executive Committee of the Society for Advancement of American Philosophy, and on the Ralph Waldo Emerson Committee of the United Chapters of Phi Beta Kappa.

Lavine was trained by, knew, and debated well-known philosophers including Richard Rorty, John Dewey, C.I. Lewis, Susanne Langer, Hannah Arendt, Paul Weiss, and Kurt Wolff. After she moved to Washington, DC from Boston, one of her projects was to make American Philosophy relevant to students. In addition to advocating for the controversial American branch of philosophy, Lavine produced scholarship on social philosophy, philosophy of the social sciences, American naturalism, philosophy of history, and philosophy in literature.

A widely published author, she popularized philosophy with her 30-part series "From Socrates to Sartre: The Philosophic Quest," which aired first on Maryland Public Television and then nationally in the early 1980s. Her book of the same name was published in 1984 and is still in print. Lavine died at her home in Washington, D.C., on January 28, 2011.

Acquisition information:
Donated by Margaret V. Sachs in 2011.
Processing information:

Processed by Rachel Moran and Blyth McManus in November 2013. EAD markup completed by Blyth McManus in 2013.

Arrangement:

This collection is organized by type of material into four series.

Series
  1. Series 1: Correspondence, 1960-2005 (Boxes 1-6)
  2. Series 2: Research, 1930s-2007 (Boxes 6-32)
  3. Series 3: Publications, 1977-2002 (Boxes 23-33)
  4. Series 4: Audio/Visual, 1969-1996 (Boxes 34-43)
Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard