Overview
Wakin's papers are comprised of research and teaching materials including material pertaining to Wakin's study and translation of a twelfth- and thirteenth-century work on Islamic jurisprudence and legal methodology, the Rawdat al-Nazir wa-Jannat al Munazir, by Muwaffaq al-Din Ibn Qudama al-Makdisi. Wakin's translation is unfinished. Also included is material relating to Wakin's dissertation, and later monograph, on notorial documents --the chapters on sales form Tahawi's Kitab Al-shurut Al-Kabir (Documents in Islamic law). The collection also contains photocopies of many as of yet not identified Arabic manuscripts. These are labeled "unidentified" in the inventory.
Dates
- Creation: 1966 - 1998
Conditions Governing Access
Access to these papers is governed by the rules and regulations of the Harvard Law School Library. This collection is open to the public, but is housed off-site at Harvard Depository and requires 2 business-day advance notice for retrieval. Consult the Special Collections staff for further information.
Conditions Governing Use
The Harvard Law School Library holds copyright on some, but not all, of the material in our collections. Requests for permission to publish material from this collection should be directed to the Special Collections staff. Researchers who obtain permission to publish from the Harvard Law School Library are also responsible for identifying and contacting the persons or organizations who hold copyright.
Extent
21 boxesThe papers of Jeanette Wakin span the years ca. 1966 - 1998. (Wakin's research and teaching materials are undated and most likely go back to her work as Instructor at Columbia beginning in 1966. The bulk of the collection is comprised of notes and course materials pertaining to Wakin's research interests and courses taught at Columbia.
Wakin's researched focuses on the study and translation of Medieval Islamic legal documents. The papers include material pertaining to her study and translation of a 12th to 13th century comprehensive two-volume work on jurisprudence and legal methodology, the Rawdat al-Nazir wa-Jannat al-Munazir, by Muwaffaq al-Din Ibn Qudama al-Makdisi, the foremost representative of Hanbali Islam. This project remains unfinished. The papers also hold material pertaining to Wakin's dissertation, and later monograph on notorial documents (the chapters on sales from Tahawi's Kitab Al-shurut Al-Kabir, Documents in Islamic Law). This work is considered a model of scholarship on Islamic Law.
Over her 32 years at Columbia Wakin taught courses which included Islamic Law, The Qur'an and its Interpretation, Sexual Ethics and the Family in Islamic Law, Colloquium on Comparative Religion, Seminar on Islamic legal texts, Islamic civilization, and Elementary and Intermediate Arabic. Course materials and class notes pertaining to many of these classes are included in these papers.
Included in this collection are photocopies of many Arabic Manuscripts (MSS). The bibliographic information pertaining to these manuscripts has yet to be translated. These mss are labeled "unidentified" in the finding aid
The first six boxes of the collection are correspondence and materials related to Wakin's role as Associate editor for Islam and the Near East, of the Journal of the American Oriental Society (JAOS).
Historical/Biographical Information
- 1929 Born, Bridgeport, CT. Bachelors, New School of Social Research, New York. Masters, Columbia University.
- 1966-1969 Columbia University, Instructor.
- 1969-1974 Columbia University, Assistant Professor 1974-1998, Columbia University, Senior Lecturer in Arabic and Islamic Studies.
- 1970 Ph.D., Columbia University (with distinction) in Arabic and Islamic Studies. Dissertation topic: Islamic legal documents, theory and practice.
- 1970-1998 Member, Columbia University, Committee on Oriental Studies.
- 1972 Published Functions of Documents in Islamic Law.
- 1973-1985 Departmental Representative, School of General Studies.
- 1974-1998 Columbia University, Senior Lecturer in Arabic and Islamic Studies.
- 1976-1986 Advisory Board, Princeton Library of Asian Translations.
- 1977-1979 National Endowment for the Humanities Fellowships.
- 1985-1986
- 1977-1998 Co-Chair, Columbia University Seminar on Arabic Studies.
- 1977-1978 President, American Association of Teachers of Arabic.
- 1978-1998 Associate editor for Islam and the Near East, Journal of the American Oriental Society.
- 1981-1984 Member of the board of Directors, Middle East Studies Association.
- 1985 Social Science Research Council.
- 1985-1986 Fellow, Mary Ingraham Bunting Institute of Radcliffe College.
- 1985-1986 Visiting Scholar, Center for the Study of World Religions
- 1929
- Born, Bridgeport, CT.
- Bachelors, New School of Social Research, New York.
- Masters, Columbia University.
- 1966-1969
- Columbia University, Instructor.
- 1969-1974
- Columbia University, Assistant Professor 1974-1998, Columbia University, Senior Lecturer in Arabic and Islamic Studies.
- 1970
- Ph.D., Columbia University (with distinction) in Arabic and Islamic Studies. Dissertation topic: Islamic legal documents, theory and practice.
- 1970-1998
- Member, Columbia University, Committee on Oriental Studies.
- 1972
- Published Functions of Documents in Islamic Law.
- 1973-1985
- Departmental Representative, School of General Studies.
- 1974-1998
- Columbia University, Senior Lecturer in Arabic and Islamic Studies.
- 1976-1986
- Advisory Board, Princeton Library of Asian Translations.
- 1977-1979
- National Endowment for the Humanities Fellowships.
- 1985-1986
- 1977-1998
- Co-Chair, Columbia University Seminar on Arabic Studies.
- 1977-1978
- President, American Association of Teachers of Arabic.
- 1978-1998
- Associate editor for Islam and the Near East, Journal of the American Oriental Society.
- 1981-1984
- Member of the board of Directors, Middle East Studies Association.
- 1985
- Social Science Research Council.
- 1985-1986
- Fellow, Mary Ingraham Bunting Institute of Radcliffe College.
- 1985-1986
- Visiting Scholar, Center for the Study of World Religions
Series List
- Series I. JAOS Boxes 1-6
Correspondence and other material pertaining to Wakin's position of Associate editor for Islam and the Near East, Journal of the American Oriental Society. The correspondence is both incoming and outgoing and is arranged alphabetically, and then chronologically within each letter.
- Series II. Research and Teaching Boxes 7-21
Material pertaining to Wakin's research and teaching from her 32 years as a professor at Columbia University.
Physical Location
Harvard Depository
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of Daniel Wakin (son) October 31, 1998
Professor Roy Mottahedah, Harvard University FAS selected material from Wakin's files which he thought was worth preserving.
Processing Information
Processed by David M. Read, 1999
- Title
- Wakin, Jeanette Ann. Papers, 1966-1998: Finding Aid
- Author
- Harvard Law School Library, Cambridge, MA 02138
- Language of description
- und
- EAD ID
- law00044
Repository Details
Part of the Harvard Law School Library, Historical & Special Collections Repository
Harvard Law School Library's Historical & Special Collections (HSC) collects, preserves, and makes available research materials for the study of the law and legal history. HSC holds over 8,000 linear feet of manuscripts, over 100,000 rare books, and more than 70,000 visual images.
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