Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
John A. Rademaker papers , 1950-1980
Overview of the Collection
- Title
- John A. Rademaker papers
- Dates
- 1950-1980 (inclusive)19501980
- Quantity
- 11 linear feet, (10 containers)
- Collection Number
- Coll 513
- Summary
- John Adrian Rademaker (1905–1985) was a distinguished sociologist. This collection contains material documenting Rademaker's career as a professor and sociologist, primarily dating to the 1930s-1970s.
- Repository
-
University of Oregon Libraries, Special Collections and University Archives
UO Libraries--SCUA
1299 University of Oregon
Eugene OR
97403-1299
Telephone: 5413463068
spcarref@uoregon.edu - Access Restrictions
-
Collection is open to the public. Collection must be used in Special Collections and University Archives Reading Room. Collection or parts of collection may be stored offsite. Please contact Special Collections and University Archives in advance of your visit to allow for transportation time.
- Additional Reference Guides
-
See the Current Collection Guide for detailed description and requesting options.
- Languages
- English
Historical NoteReturn to Top
John Adrian Rademaker (1905–1985) was a distinguished sociologist.
Rademaker earned a BA from the College of Puget Sound in 1930. He initially pursued a law degree at the University of Washington but shifted his focus to sociology after one year. He earned an MA (1935) and PhD (1939) from UW's Department of Sociology, where he also worked as a teaching fellow and research assistant for the Washington Emergency Relief Committee. His dissertation was titled, "The Ecological Position of the Japanese Farmers in the State of Washington."
In 1939, Rademaker married Elizabeth Dewey Spencer. The couple had two children.
After completing his doctoral studies, Rademaker taught at Bates College in Lewiston, Maine. In 1943, he took on the role of community analyst at the Amache/Granada War Relocation Authority (internment/incarceration) camp in Colorado.
From 1944-1947, Rademaker then worked at the University of Hawai'i (UH) in Honolulu, during which he studied Hawaiian society and culture as well as the Japanese American community in Hawaii. Drawing upon his work in Hawaii, Rademaker published, "These Are Americans: The Japanese Americans in Hawaii in World War II," in 1951.
After his tenure at UH, Rademaker transitioned to Willamette University in Salem, Oregon, where he served as Professor of Sociology and Chairman of the Department of Sociology and Anthropology (1947-1970). In 1963, he was elected Chairman of the Society of the Study of Social Problems.
In addition to his work with Japanese Americans, Rademaker also researched and wrote on issues related to marriage and the family, agriculture and migrant labor, and religion, particularly "moral rearmament." He was involved in a variety of political movements and causes including the Oregon Governor's State Committee on Children and Youth, Oregon Legislative Conference Group, Oregon Committee to Abolish the House Committee on Un-American Activities, the Democratic Party of Oregon, the Progressive Party, and the Socialist Party.
Sources: https://encyclopedia.densho.org/John_Rademaker/ (accessed August 2024) https://manoa.hawaii.edu/library/wp-content/uploads/archives/mss/aja/rademaker.pdf (accessed August 2024)
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
This collection contains material documenting Rademaker's career as a professor and sociologist, primarily dating to the 1930s-1970s. The bulk of the material consists of correspondence, meeting minutes, notes, research data, and printed ephemera related to a variety of topics in the field of sociology, including: the family; urban development and neighborhoods; the military industrial complex; industry and labor; agricultural labor; religion; race relations; and public policy. Also included are newspapers and other publications distributed by groups such as trade unions and political parties. This collection has been categorized primarily by function or topic, with a small amount of personal papers, and the bulk representing different eras of Rademaker's career. The Professional Engagement series relates to Rademaker's speaking and consulting engagements and his memberships in professional organizations. The Teaching series contains material from Rademaker's early teaching career including his time at the University of Washington, Bates Collge, and the University of Hawaii. The series related to the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at Willamette University primarily documents Rademaker's time at WU, especially his tenure as chair of the department and all of the projects and causes he was involved in in that capacity. The Migrant Labor Research series overlaps with Rademaker's time at WU but is specifically related to Project M, directed by Rademaker in the 1950s. The Reference Files series is material that is related to Rademaker's sociology and anthropology research and likely overlaps with his time at all four academic institutions. It also includes material related to Rademaker's involvement in political movements. For more information about the contents of each series, consult the individual, series-level scope and contents notes.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
| Description |
|---|
| Rademaker (John A.) papers |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Anthropology
- Education, Higher--Administration
- Educational sociology--United States
- Labor unions
- Labor--History
- Migrant agricultural laborers--United States
- Social policy
- Sociology
