Bender (Gerald J.) papers, 1960-2016, bulk 1973-1998

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Summary

Title:
Gerald J. Bender papers
Dates:
1960-2016, bulk 1973-1998
Creators:
Bender, Gerald J.
Abstract:
This collection comprises the papers of Gerald J. Bender, a professor of international relations at USC from 1979 to 2011 and director of the School of International Relations from 1986 to 1991. Bender was a foremost expert on the study of politics, languages, and culture of Angola and Southern Africa generally, with a particular interest in United States foreign policy toward the region. The Gerald J. Bender papers contain Bender's personal, professional, and USC correspondence; files on Bender's research, consultancies, and projects (including his work with oil companies in southern Africa); teaching materials relating to the USC School of International Relations; an extensive collection of news clippings on topics relating to Southern Africa; some realia and graphic materials; and manuscripts, published papers, and research proposals authored by Bender and/or his colleagues.
Extent:
66.5 Linear Feet 73 boxes
Language:
English and English and Portuguese.
Preferred citation:

[Box/folder no. or item name], Gerald J. Bender papers, Collection no. 5322, University Archives, Special Collections, USC Libraries, University of Southern California

Background

Scope and content:

This collection comprises the papers of Gerald J. Bender, a professor of international relations at USC from 1979 to 2011 and director of the School of International Relations from 1986 to 1991. Bender was a foremost expert on the study of politics, languages, and culture of Angola and Southern Africa generally, with a particular interest in United States foreign policy toward the region. The Gerald J. Bender papers contain Bender's personal, professional, and USC correspondence; files on Bender's research, consultancies, and projects (including his work with oil companies in southern Africa); teaching materials relating to the USC School of International Relations; an extensive collection of news clippings on topics relating to Southern Africa; some realia and graphic materials; and manuscripts, published papers, and research proposals authored by Bender and/or his colleagues.

Biographical / historical:

Gerald J. Bender (1941-2017) was a professor at the USC School of International Relations who specialized in the politics, history, and languages of Portuguese-speaking African countries, with an emphasis on Angola. Born and raised in Minneapolis, Minnesota, he became interested in African politics during his undergraduate studies when he lived in Nigeria to complete a summer research study on community development. In 1963, he graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Political Science from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, and obtained his Master's and PhD from the University of California, Los Angeles in 1967. He became a research fellow in the African Studies Center at UCLA, where he spearheaded the grant-funded Portuguese Africa Project from 1971 to 1975. In 1979, he joined the faculty at the USC School of International Relations where he would teach for three decades until his retirement in 2011. From 1986 to 1991, he was appointed as the director of the school. He received seven teaching awards during his career at USC, including the USC Associates Award for Excellence in Teaching in 1985.

From the mid-1970s to the early 2000s, he published and lectured extensively about political issues in Angola and other Portuguese-speaking African countries, Portugal, and South Africa under apartheid. He commented on the United States' policies toward southern African countries in national newspapers and presented statements for the United States House Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations.

Additionally, Bender served as a consultant for the U.S. State Department, non-profits such as the Citizens Engergy Corporation, and several multinational corporations and think tanks. He convinced Conoco, an oil company, to invest in local communities in Angola, and worked on a project to reduce the incidence of AIDS in the Angolan Armed Forces. Throughout his career, Bender maintained political alliances with African politicians and negotiated with organizations on behalf of governments to facilitate the development of libraries and hospitals.

[See links under "External Documents" for biographical/historical sources]

Acquisition information:
Gift of the estate of Gerald Bender, October 2017.
Processing information:

Boxes 1 through 30 of this collection have been described at a folder level and rehoused into acid-free folders. The majority of boxes with numbers following 30 contain material described at a box level. The material described at box-level is still housed in Bender's original folders, but has been boxed into labeled acid-free boxes.

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

About this collection guide

Collection Guide Author:
Bo Doub and Mariah Sander
Date Encoded:
This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2019-09-26 09:47:33 -0700 .

Access and use

Restrictions:

COLLECTION STORED OFF-SITE. Advance notice required for access.

Terms of access:

All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Manuscripts Librarian. Permission for publication is given on behalf of Special Collections as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained.

Preferred citation:

[Box/folder no. or item name], Gerald J. Bender papers, Collection no. 5322, University Archives, Special Collections, USC Libraries, University of Southern California

Location of this collection:
Doheny Memorial Library, Room 209
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA 90089-0189, US
Contact:
(213) 740-2587
specol@usc.edu
Website