File: Department of American Studies

Scope and Content

The Department of American Studies was established in 1948, when Isaac Kandel (1881-1965) was elected to the chair. Kandel retired in 1950, and the administration of the Department was assumed by Marcus Cunliffe (1922-1990), who was eventually promoted to a chair in 1959. Much of the material in the file concerns Cunliffe's efforts to build up the Department, by attracting research funding from U.S. grant-awarding bodies, developing library resources for this subject, and attracting visiting scholars to the Department. Cunliffe's memoranda such as one written in October 1954 and "American Studies and the University of Manchester" (September 1957) provide evidence of the successes and frustrations that were encountered.

Former reference: 235

Related Material

See also VCA/7/444-446 for appointments to chairs in American Studies.