Inventory of the Douglass Cecil North Papers, 1953-2006 and undated

The papers of university professor and Nobel Prize-winning economist Douglass C. North span the dates 1953-1999, with most of the papers being dated between 1980 and 1997. They consist chiefly of professional correspondence written and received by North, writings by North and other colleagues, and files on conferences attended by North; there are also some materials relating to courses he taught. The collection documents North's career as an economist and professor at Berkeley, University of Washington, Rice University, and Washington University (Missouri), and reflects his interests in the economic history of the western world, industrialization, transaction costs, economic development, and technology. More specifically, the papers document his long-standing interest in explaining institutional change and political economies without relying exclusively on neo-classical economic theories. Among the correspondents are many noted economists, including Reuven Brenner, Robert Clower, Robert Fogel, Deirdre N. McCloskey, Yoram Barzel, Robert Haveman, R. H. Coase, Simon Kuznets, Vernon Smith, and T. N. Srinivasan. Duke University faculty are represented by Robert Bates and Robert Keohane. Some of these correspondents are also represented in the writings series of this collection.

While much of the Professional Correspondence Series concerns routine academic administrative matters such as recommendations and travel arrangements, a large part also documents the development of North's career and academic interests, reflected through correspondence concerning economic issues, theories, and events. Many of the correspondents also sent North drafts of papers and articles for comment. Much of the correspondence results directly from North's acceptance of the Nobel Prize in 1993, with most of it consisting of congratulations and invitations.

The Writings Series consists of published articles and essays written by North and his colleagues. Topics include economic development and growth, international economic policies, and economic history. The series contains more than 50 writings by North, including some early works from the 1950s and 1960s on United States economic issues such as industrialization and regional economic growth. There is also a group of drafts of North's work, Institutions, Institutional Change and Economic Performance, published in 1990. One small group of correspondence, notes, and writings is related to North's intense involvement with a working group who, under the auspices of the Committee on Basic Research of the National Research Council, ultimately published a report entitled “The Emergence of Social, Political, and Economic Institutions” .

The largest series in the collection is the Conferences and Seminars Series, which documents North's active participation in conferences and lectures chiefly from 1980 to 1997. Many of the conference programs concern economic history, economic growth, and institutional change. Many files contain drafts of lectures given by North or notes taken by him during conference proceedings.

The smallest group, the Course Materials Series, is arranged by date, and includes course syllabi, exams, and notes from North's classes at Washington University, as well as the Business School in Prague, with which he was affiliated for several years in the 1990s.

Addition of 2008 (2008-0109) (18,900 items, 25.2 lin. ft.; dated 1950s-2006) contains reprints, writings, conference and seminar files, correspondence, and other office files. Also included are book contracts, course materials, and files related to North's involvement with the Commission on Civil Rights.

• North, Douglass Cecil.
• Brenner, Reuven.
• Smith, Vernon L.
• Fogel, Robert William.
• Clower, Robert W.
• Keohane, Robert O. (Robert Owen), 1941- .
• Bates, Robert H.
• Kuznets, Simon Smith, 1901- .
• Srinivasan, T. N., 1933- .
• Barzel, Yoram.
• Haveman, Robert H.
• Coase, R. H. (Ronald Harry).
• McCloskey, Deirdre N.
• Economists--Correspondence.
• Washington University (Saint Louis, Mo.)--Faculty.
• Economic history-Congresses
• Economics--Methodology.
• Economics--Study and teaching.
• Economic history.
• Keynesian economics.
• Industrialization.
• Transaction costs.
• Economic development.
• International economic relations.

[Identification of item], Douglass Cecil North Papers, David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University.

The Douglass Cecil North Papers were received by the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library as a gift in 1993, 2000, and 2008.

Processed by Kirk White, Ann Langford, Paula Jeannet Mangiafico

Completed October 25, 2000

Encoded by Lisa Stark, Paula Jeannet Mangiafico

Accessions 1993-0275, 2000-0086 were merged into one collection, described in this finding aid.

Accession 2008-0109 processed and encoded by Noah Huffman, July 9, 2008.

This finding aid is NCEAD compliant.