Guide to the Mark Poster papers MS.C.018
Finding aid prepared by Alexandra Bisio, 2013. Updated by Elvia Arroyo-Ramirez,
2022.
Special Collections and Archives, University of California, Irvine
Libraries
(cc) 2022
The UCI Libraries
P.O. Box 19557
University of California, Irvine
Irvine 92623-9557
spcoll@uci.edu
Contributing Institution:
Special Collections and Archives, University of California, Irvine
Libraries
Title: Mark Poster papers
Creator:
Poster, Mark
Identifier/Call Number: MS.C.018
Physical Description:
3.6 Linear Feet
(5 boxes) and 1.03 GB of electronic records
Date (inclusive): 1967-2009
Abstract: This collection includes the print and
electronic teaching and research papers of Mark Poster, Professor of History and Film &
Media Studies at the University of California, Irvine.
Language of Material: Collection materials are in
English, French, Korean, Spanish, Russian, Arabic, German,Chinese,Turkish and
Swedish.
Access
The collection is open for research. Access to files covered by California personnel
records legislation is restricted for 50 years from the latest date of the materials in
those files. Access to student records is restricted for 75 years from the latest date of
the materials in those files. Special Collections and Archives policy places access
restrictions on material with privacy issues for a specific time period from its date of
creation. Restrictions are noted at the file level.
Series 1. Born digital files, 1985-2009 is available for research on
Calisphere (metadata-only). Researchers can request access to files from
Calisphere.
Publication Rights
Property rights reside with the University of California. Copyrights are retained by the
creators of the records and their heirs. For permission to reproduce or to publish, please
contact the Head of Special Collections and Archives.
Preferred Citation
Mark Poster papers. MS-C018. Special Collections and Archives, The UC Irvine Libraries,
Irvine, California. Date accessed.
For the benefit of current and future researchers, please cite any additional information
about sources consulted in this collection, including permanent URLs, item or folder
descriptions, and box/folder locations.
Acquisition Information
Gift of Mark Poster, 2009.
Existence and Location of Originals
External media, received digital object number DIG001
Processing History
Born digital files processed by Audra Eagle Yun and Matthew McKinley, February 2013.
Professional papers processed by Alexandra Bisio, August 2013.
Processing Note
The processing of this collection was funded by a donation by Rosalyn Laudati and Jim
Pick.
Historical Background
Mark Poster was Professor of History and Film & Media Studies at the University of
California, Irvine, and also taught in the Critical Theory Emphasis. Additionally, he had
appointments in the Department of Information and Computer Science and the Department of
Comparative Literature. He authored or edited more than 17 books and 90 articles on European
intellectual history, the social and cultural theory of electronically mediated information,
postmodernism, and critical theory, among other subjects.
His books include
The Utopian Thought of Restif de la Bretonne
(1971, electronic reprint, 2000),
Existential Marxism in Postwar
France: From Sartre to Althusser
(1976),
Critical Theory of
the Family
(1978),
Sartre's Marxism (1979),
Foucault, Marxism and History: Mode of Production vs. Mode of
Information
(1984, 1985),
The Mode of Information
(1990),
The Second Media Age (1995),
Cultural History and Postmodernity (1997),
The Information
Subject
(2001),
What's the Matter with the Internet?
(2001), and
Information, Please: Culture and Politics in the Age of
Digital Machines
(2006), and
Deleuze and New
Technology
(2009).
Mark Poster earned his B.S. (1962) in Economics from the University of Pennsylvania and his
M.A. (1965) and Ph.D. (1968) in History from New York University. After two years at Cooper
Union (1967-1969), he came to UCI as Assistant Professor in 1969. Poster died on October 10,
2012.
Collection Scope and Content Summary
This collection includes the print and electronic teaching and research papers of Mark
Poster, Professor of History and Film & Media Studies at the University of California,
Irvine. The collection comprises professional papers and electronic records created between
1967 and 2009 documenting Poster's career, including teaching materials; research notes;
drafts of writings; publications; correspondence, including emails relating to his
association with the Critical Theory Institute at UCI; and audio and video tapes of
interviews given. The collection is composed of materials that reflect Poster's work in
critical theory, cultural and intellectual history, film and media studies, and the social
and cultural theory of electronically mediated information.
Collection Arrangement
This collection is arranged in two series:
- Series 1. Born digital files, 1985-2009, 1.03 GB of electronic records.
- Series 2. Professional papers, 1967-2009, 3.6 linear feet.
Series 1. Born digital files is arranged in four subseries:
- Subseries 1.1. Administrative records for the Critical Theory Institute at the
University of California, Irvine, 1988-1999.
- Subseries 1.2. Book drafts, 1988-2009.
- Subseries 1.3. Lectures, 1986-2007.
- Subseries 1.4. Research files, 1985-2008.
Series 2. Professional papers is arranged in eight subseries:
- Subseries 2.1. Academic review materials, 1999-2003.
- Subseries 2.2. Bibliographic cards, circa 1970s-1980s.
- Subseries 2.3. Correspondence, 1973-2006, undated.
- Subseries 2.4. Interviews and public appearance, 1989-2005, undated.
- Subseries 2.5. Lectures, 1969-2007, undated.
- Subseries 2.6. Photographs, circa 1970s-1980s.
- Subseries 2.7. Recorded lectures,1973, 1980.
- Subseries 2.8. Writings and publications, 1967-2008.
Unless otherwise noted in the series and subseries descriptions, the arrangement scheme
for the collection was imposed during processing in the absence of a usable original
order.
Born digital files Series 1.
1985-2009
Physical Description: 1.03
Gigabytes
Access
The digital files are open for research.
Series Scope and Content Summary
This series includes research files, notes, and email correspondence related to
Poster's books and other publications, lectures, as well as his work with the Critical
Theory Institute.
Mark Poster selected and transferred these files from his hard drive for the Critical
Theory Archive at the UC Irvine Libraries. UC Irvine Libraries staff migrated most files
to PDF/A format for long-term access. Routine records, such as receipts, and damaged
files were not retained.
Series Arrangement
This series is arranged in four subseries:
- Subseries 1.1 Administrative records for the Critical Theory Institute at the
University of California, Irvine, 1988-1999
- Subseries 1.2. Book drafts, 1988-2009
- Subseries 1.3. Lectures, 1986-2007
- Subseries 1.4. Research files, 1985-2008
Administrative records for the Critical Theory Institute at the University of
California, Irvine
Subseries 1.1.
1988-1999
Subseries Scope and Content Summary
This subseries includes administrative files such as agendas, minutes,
correspondence, annual reports, and speaker introductions associated with Mark
Poster's work with the Critical Theory Institute (CTI).
Existence and Location of Copies
Book drafts Subseries 1.2.
1988-2009
Subseries Scope and Content Summary
This subseries consists of ten sub-directories from Mark Poster's original files,
including drafts, notes, email correspondence, and other documents related to his book
publications.
Existence and Location of Copies
These born digital files are available metadata-only on Calisphere
Book drafts, 1988-2009 . To request access, select Order on Calisphere.
Lectures Subseries 1.3.
1986-2007
Subseries Scope and Content Summary
This subseries consists of a file directory that includes course descriptions,
syllabi, course materials, and other documents related to Mark Poster's lectures on
European intellectual and cultural history, critical theory, and media studies.
Existence and Location of Copies
These born digital files are available metadata-only on Calisphere
Lectures, 1986-2007 . To request access, select Order on Calisphere.
Research files Subseries 1.4.
1985-2008
Subseries Scope and Content Summary
This subseries consists of three directories from Mark Poster's original files,
including correspondence, research articles, citations, reviews, and other documents
related to Poster's scholarly interests.
Existence and Location of Copies
These born digital files are available metadata-only on Calisphere
Research files, 1985-2008 . To request access, select Order on
Calisphere.
Professional papers Series 2.
1967-2008 and
undated
Container Summary: (5
boxes)
Series Scope and Content Summary
The professional papers series contains correspondence; sound and video recordings of
interviews, and other material relating to public appearances; teaching materials;
photographs; drafts of writings; and publications. Materials document Mark Poster's
career as an author and professor of cultural and intellectual history, film and media
studies, and the social and cultural theory of electronically mediated information, in
addition to his contributions to critical theory as a member of the Critical Theory
Institute at the University of California, Irvine.
Series Arrangement
Professional papers is arranged in eight subseries:
- Subseries 2.1. Academic review materials, 1999-2003.
- Subseries 2.2. Bibliographic cards, circa 1970s-1980s.
- Subseries 2.3. Correspondence, 1973-2006, undated.
- Subseries 2.4. Interviews and public appearance, 1989-2005, undated.
- Subseries 2.5. Lectures, 1969-2007, undated.
- Subseries 2.6. Photographs, circa 1970s-1980s.
- Subseries 2.7. Recorded lectures, 1973, 1980.
- Subseries 2.8. Writings and publications, 1967-2008.
box 1, folder 1
Academic review materials Subseries 2.1.
1999-2003
Subseries Scope and Content Summary
This file contains curricula vitae, bibliographies, and lists produced as part of the
academic review process for faculty. Materials include general biographical
information regarding Mark Poster's education and career, as well as detailed lists of
publications, classes taught, doctoral students supervised, professional memberships,
activities, and honors received up to 2003.
Subseries Arrangement
The materials in this file are in their original order.
box 5, folder 8
Bibliographic cards Subseries 2.2.
circa
1970s-1980s
Subseries Scope and Content Summary
This file contains a small box of index cards with bibliographic information and
notes from works Mark Poster consulted during research.
Subseries Arrangement
The materials in this file are in their original order.
Correspondence Subseries 2.3
1973-2006 and
undated
Subseries Scope and Content Summary
The correspondence subseries primarily consists of Mark Poster's incoming,
professional correspondence from scholars, students, colleagues, academic departments,
and university administration. Of particular interest are letters from noted
philosophers Michael Foucault and Edward Said.
Subseries Arrangement
This subseries is arranged chronologically.
Interviews and public appearances Subseries 2.4.
1989-2005 and
undated
Subseries Scope and Content Summary
The Interviews and public appearances subseries includes audio and video recordings
from television and radio appearances, as well as notes and transcripts from speaking
engagement and conference seminars. Topics discussed include postmodernism,
deconstruction, critical theory, cultural and intellectual history, and media and
technology.
Subseries Arrangement
This subseries is arranged alphabetically by title.
box 4, item 001-A
"An Interview with Mark Poster"
undated
Physical Description: 1
videocassette (VHS)
box 1, folder 36
Critical Theory of the Family speech notes
undated
box 4, item 002-A
"Dr. Mark Poster - Individualism, the Internet, and the
Millennium"
1999 January
29
Physical Description: 1
sound cassette
box 1, folder 37
"From Marx to Foucault - An Intellectual Journey though Critical Theory"
and "Foucault and the Frankfurt School," seminar transcripts
1986-1987
box 4, item 003-A
"HRI Media Seminar - comments on Swan's Way"
2005 November
3
Physical Description: 1
sound cassette
box 4, item 004-A
"Interview Auckland"
1994
April
Physical Description: 1
videocassette (VHS)
box 4, item 005-A
"Media and Nations Presentation - Tape 1 'Nations, Identities and Global
Technologies'"
1997 February
4
Physical Description: 1
sound cassette
box 4, item 006-A
"Media and Nations Presentation - Tape 2 'Nations, Identities and Global
Technologies'"
1997 February
4
Physical Description: 1
sound cassette
box 4, item 007-A
"'Post Modernism and Deconstruction' by: Mark Poster - tape 1"
1989
January
Physical Description: 1
sound cassette
box 4, item 008-A
"'Post Modernism and Deconstruction' by: Mark Poster - tape 2"
1989
January
Physical Description: 1
sound cassette
box 4, item 009-A to
010-A
"Prof. Leps and Mark Poster - interview in studio"
1995 March
16
Physical Description: 2
videocassettes (VHS) (40 minutes)
box 4, item 011-A
"The Todd Mundt Show - Michigan Radio - Mark Poster Interview"
2001 October
22
Physical Description: 1
sound cassette
Lectures Subseries 2.5.
1969-2007 and
undated
Subseries Scope and Content Summary
This subseries is composed of course descriptions, syllabi, course materials, and
other documents related to Mark Poster's lectures on European intellectual and
cultural history, critical theory, and media studies. Notes and photocopies of
readings found with lecture files, but not explicitly connected to a particular class
or lecture, have been retained.
Subseries Arrangement
The original order of the lectures subseries has been retained. Materials are
arranged loosely by course or course topic.
box 1, folder 38-40
Humanities core course
1973-1974
box 1, folder 41-42
Humanities core course: Critical Theory of the Family
1987-1989
box 1, folder 43
Humanities core course: Race and Gender
1995
box 1, folder 44
Humanities core course: Freud
1992
box 1, folder 45-46
History 29C, The Formation of Modern Society
1981-1988
box 1, folder 47-48
History 9, 180E, Women, Sex, and the Family
1975-1979
box 1, folder 49
Humanities 2B, Wagner's Ring and the Nineteenth Century
colloquium
1983-1988
box 1, folder 50
History of Marxist Humanism
undated
box 1, folder 51
Socialism: Free University
circa
1970s-1980s
box 1, folder 52
Hegel,
Phenomenology of the Spirit
notes
circa
1970s-1980s
box 1, folder 53
Comte,
System of Positive Polity
notes
circa
1970s-1980s
box 1, folder 54
Feuerbach notes
circa
1970s-1980s
box 1, folder 55
Kierkegaard notes
circa
1970s-1980s
box 1, folder 56
History 132A, The Enlightenment
1982-1986
box 1, folder 57
European intellectual History, 1660-1815
1969-1990
box 1, folder 58
European Intellectual History to Hegel
circa
1969-1990
box 1, folder 59
European Intellectual History from Hegel to Freud
1970-1986
box 2, folder 1
History 132B, 112B, and 131B, From Marx to Freud
1972-1987
box 2, folder 2
Twentieth Century Intellectual History
1983
box 2, folder 3
Social Theory in the Twentieth Century: Marxism and
Existentialism
1983-1984
box 2, folder 4
History 133, Freud and Social Theory
circa
1970s-1980s
box 2, folder 5
History 131 and 133, Freud and Social Thought
circa
1970s-1980s
box 2, folder 6
Social History of Europe 1700 to Present
1973
box 2, folder 7
Marxism and Existentialism
1971,
1976
box 2, folder 8
Utopias and Utopian Thought senior seminar
1969-1970
box 2, folder 9
History 182, Postmodernity
1993
box 2, folder 10-11
History 199A, 235A,B, Seminars on France - May 1968 senior
seminar
1973
box 2, folder 12
History 198, France - May 1968
1971-1972
box 2, folder 13-14
History 190 A,B, The Psycho-History of the Family
1973-1974
box 2, folder 15
History 192A and History 185A, Senior Seminar in Intellectual History and
German Social and Critical Theory an Introduction
1978
box 2, folder 16
Irvine - Santa Cruz Colloquium in the Humanities: Romanticism
1971-1972
box 2, folder 17
History 230, European Intellectual History since Hegel
colloquium
1969
box 2, folder 18
History 230, Colloquium in European History of Ideas
1969
box 2, folder 19-20
History 200A, History and Theory
1977-1995
box 2, folder 21
History 200A,B,C, History and Theory
1974-2003
box 2, folder 22-23
History 200B,C, History and Theory
1977-1990
box 2, folder 24-26
History 200C, Foucault and History
2006-2007
box 2, folder 27
History 290, Foucault and History
2004
box 2, folder 28
Humanities 260B Foucault readings
1977-1995
box 2, folder 29-30
History 200B, History and Theory
1978-1999
box 2, folder 31
History 202B and American Studies 794B, Consumer Culture
1989,1992
box 2, folder 32
History 200C, History and Theory: Postcolonialism and Psycho-History and
Family History
1987,
1994
box 2, folder 33
History 200C, History and Theory: Psycho-History and Family
History
1976-1985
box 2, folder 34
History 200C, History and Theory: The Media
1993-1995
box 2, folder 35
History 200C course readings
circa
1970s-1990s
box 2, folder 36
History 200C, History and Theory: Feminist Theory and the Media
1995
box 2, folder 37
History 200, History and Theory: Field Examination
1985-1986
box 2, folder 38-39
History 282, Focus Seminar in Intellectual History
1977-1978
box 2, folder 40
Humanities 260B, The Politics of Theory
1997
box 2, folder 41
Humanities 260C Heidegger readings
1998
box 2, folder 42
History 295, Politics and Language
1985
box 2, folder 43
Humanities 291 and 270A, The Frankfurt School
1972
box 2, folder 44
Humanities 270A, The Frankfurt School
1993
box 2, folder 45-46
Humanities 270B, Theories of Technology and Culture
1999,
2003-2004
box 2, folder 47-48
Humanities 270B, Politics and Culture
1990 and
undated
box 2, folder 49
Humanities 270, Postmodernism: Gender, Race, Class
1992
box 2, folder 50
Humanities 270 and History 200C, Global Culture
1997
box 2, folder 51-52
History 290, Twentieth Century European Marxist Theory
1977
box 2, folder 53
Humanities 270A and Film Studies 245, Theories of Technology and
Culture
1995
box 2, folder 54
European Intellectual History Since 1800: Field Preparation
undated
box 2, folder 55
Robert Darnton Encyclopedie readings
1971-1973
box 2, folder 56
History 246 and 666, American Studies and Film
1976
box 2, folder 57
Horkhiemer, Max.
Traditional and Critical
Theory
1972
box 2, folder 58
Skinner, Quintin. "Meaning and Understanding in the History of Ideas,"
History and Theory v. 8, no. 1
1969
box 2, folder 59
History 282, Focus Seminar in European Intellectual History
definitions
1973-1992
box 2, folder 60
Humanities 270 and History 200C, Theories of the Media
2002
box 2, folder 61
Visual Studies 295, Media Theory and History
2006
box 2, folder 62
European History, Enlightenment to Present
1969
box 2, folder 63-64
European Intellectual History, part one
1986
box 2, folder 65
European Intellectual History, part two
1987
box 2, folder 66
Photographs Subseries 2.6.
circa 1970s-1980s
Subseries Scope and Content Summary
This file includes two informal snapshots featuring Mark Poster and his
colleagues.
Recorded lectures Subseries 2.7.
1973, 1980
Subseries Scope and Content Summary
This subseries contains audio recordings of lectures delivered by notable
philosophers collected by Mark Poster. Lecturers include Michel Contat, Jean-Marie
Domenach, Michel Foucault, Stanley Pulberg, Michel-Antoine Burnier, Richard Gombin,
Edgar Morin, and Kostas Axelos.
Subseries Arrangement
This subseries is arranged alphabetically by title.
box 4, item 012-A
"Foucault: 'Sexuality and Solitude' and 'Birth of Biophysics'
1980
November
box 4, item 013-A
"Michel Contat; J.M. Domenach - Paris"
1973 September
10
box 4, item 014-A
"Richard Gombin; Edgar Morin; Kostas Axelos - Paris"
1973 September
15
box 4, item 015-A
"Stanley Pulberg; M.A. Burnier"
1973 September
6
Writings and publications Subseries 2.8.
1967-2008
Subseries Scope and Content Summary
This subseries contains drafts and published copies of Mark Poster's writing spanning
his academic career. Materials include drafts of Poster's doctoral and early work,
non-English translations of later books, a large number of journal, magazine, and
encyclopedia articles, as well as volumes of essays to which Poster contributed or
served as editor. Works in this series cover a variety of topics including cultural
history, critical theory, media studies, and culture and technology.
Subseries Arrangement
This subseries is arranged alphabetically by title.
box 3, folder 1-14
Articles and reviews
1974-2006
Historical Note
Many of the publications in these files may have been collected and submitted as
exhibits for Mark Poster's academic review.
Scope and Contents Note
Contains offprints, photocopies, and full journals featuring scholarly essays,
magazine and encyclopedia articles, as well as book and article reviews. A small
number of drafts are included.
Arrangement Note
Materials in these files are in their original order.
box 3, folder 15
Cultural History and Postmodernity: Disciplinary
Readings and Challenges
, Korean translation
2006
box 3, folder 16
"Desiring Information Machines," in
Data Made Flesh:
Embodying Information
, Robert Mitchell and Phillip Thurtle
editors
2004
box 3, folder 17
Existential Marxisim in Postwar France: From Sartre
to Althusser
, preface draft and correspondence
1973
box 3, folder 18
"Foucault et la Tyrannie de la Grece," in
Michel
Foucault Lectures Critiques
, Jacques Colson translator
1989
box 3, folder 19
Foucault, Marxism, and History: Mode of
Production
, Turkish translation
2008
box 3, folder 20
"France - May 1986," pamphlet introduction draft, correspondence, and
notes
1973
box 3, folder 21
"History and Sociology of the Family," in
The
Dictionary of Pastoral Care and Counseling
, edited drafts and
correspondence
1989
box 3, folder 22
Jean Baudrillard: Selected Writings, second
edition
, Mark Poster editor
2001
box 3, folder 23
"La Ciberdemocracia: Internet y la Esfera Publica," in
Literatura y Cibercultura , Domingo Sanchez-Mesa
editor
2004
box 3, folder 24
The Mode of Information: Poststructuralism and
Social Context
, Korean translation
1994
box 5, folder 1
"Nations, Identities, and Global Technologies," in
Philosophical Designs for a Socio-Cultural Transformation: Beyond Violence and
the Modern Era
, Tetsuji Yamamoto editor
1998
box 5, folder 2
"Perfect Transmissions: Evil Bert Laden," in
Envision: The New Media and Everyday Life, Patrik Hernwall
editor
2004
box 5, folder 3
Politics, Theory, and Contemporary Culture,
Mark Poster editor
1993
box 5, folder 4
"Print and Digital Authorship," in
The Multiple and
Mutable Subject
, Vera Lemecha and Reva Stone editors
2001
box 5, folder 5
The Second Media Age, Korean
translation
1998
box 5, folder 6
"Textual Agents: History at 'The End of History,'" in
"Culture" and the Problem of the Disciplines, John Carlos
Rowe editor
1998
box 5, folder 7
"The Utopian Thought of Restif de la Bretonne," dissertation outline,
correspondence, and related research materials
1967