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Collection Overview
Title: Stephen P. Cohen papers
ID: 15/18/38
Primary Creator: Cohen, Stephen P. (1936-2019)
Extent: 2.0 cubic feet
Arrangement:
Series 1: Subject Files, 1964-2015, consists of Cohen's tenure file and interviews of him, class materials, correspondence, and publication drafts. Included is also an unfinished book draft titled "Rashomon" (1993-1996, and earlier notes) that looks at how policy makers from South Asia and beyond perceived the region, and how policies between South Asian countries were shaped by regional context and history. The series also contains his notes on research and national and international meetings, notes on a trip to study the Indian army in the region of Ladakh, specifically Leh, which talks of a riot protesting the wool syndicate in the early 1970s, and his testimonies to the United States House and Senate between 1981 and 2008. The series is arranged alphabetically; Professor Cohen's tenure file and interviews are listed first to provide context.
Series 2: Notebooks, 1969-2016, contains Dr. Cohen's handwritten notebooks on research, national and international meetings such as foreign policy meetings, and conferences he attended. The series is arranged chronologically.
Series 3: Presentations, 1973-2014, consists of outlines, speeches, and talks given by Dr. Cohen nationally and internationally, including at The Asia Society conference, foreign policy groups, the State Department and as Brookings Senior Fellow. The series is arranged chronologically.
Series 4: Publications, 1964-2016, contains some of Dr. Cohen's publications, including journal and newspaper articles, studies sponsored by institutions such as The Asia Society as well co-authored Taskforce group reports. The series is arranged chronologically. During initial processing, 30 of Dr. Cohen's publications (1963-1979) were misplaced and have not yet been found.
Date Acquired: 04/25/2022
Subjects: Arms Control, Faculty Papers, India, Nuclear Weapons, Pakistan
Abstract
Stephen P. Cohen (1936-2019) was a professor of Political Science and Asian Studies at the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana. Cohen started out as an instructor in 1965, then became assistant professor (1967), associate professor (1970), full professor (1979), and emeritus professor (1998). At the University of Illinois, Cohen was instrumental in the development of South Asian studies, an emeritus professor of the Center of South Asian and Middle Eastern Studies (CSAMES), and helped found the Program in Arms Control, Disarmament and International Security (ACDIS, 1978), which he directed from 1994 to 1998. In his thirty plus years at the University of Illinois, Dr. Cohen became a prominent expert on US involvement in South Asia, nuclear disarmament, and the relations between India and Pakistan. He retired in 1998 and became Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution.
Scope and Contents of the Materials
Stephen P. Cohen (1936-2019) became an instructor at the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana in 1965 before he became an assistant professor of Political Science and Asian Studies in 1967. In 1970, he became an associate professor; he became a full professor in 1979, and finally an emeritus professor when he retired in 1998. Cohen was instrumental in the development of South Asian studies at the university, was an emeritus professor of the Center of South Asian and Middle Eastern Studies (CSAMES), and helped found the Program in Arms Control, Disarmament and International Security (ACDIS, 1978), of which he served as director from 1994-1998. In his thirty plus years as a professor at the University of Illinois, Dr. Cohen became a prominent expert on US involvement in South Asia, nuclear disarmament, and the relations between India and Pakistan. He retired at the age of 62 in 1998 and became Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution.
His papers include his tenure file and interviews of him, class materials, correspondence, writing drafts, research, national and international foreign policy meeting notes, his testimonies to the US House and Senate from 1981-2008, outlines and full versions of speeches and talks, and publications. The collection also contains his notes on research and national and international meetings, notes on a trip to study the Indian army in the region of Ladakh, specifically Leh, which talks of a riot protesting the wool syndicate. It also includes an unfinished book draft titled "Rashomon" (1993-1995) that looks at how policy makers from South Asia and beyond perceived the region, and how policies between South Asian countries were shaped by regional context and history. During initial processing, 30 of Dr. Cohen's publications (1963-1979) were misplaced and have not yet been found.
Accession two contains military interviews with other militaries such as India, Pakistan, Japan, Nepal, and Bangladesh; contracts, correspondence and meetings with the US Department of State, correspondence with the Central Intelligence agency, correspondence and an invitation to dinner with Pakistan president Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq, a piece of rock with a note that says Berlin Wall, photographs, and papers on nuclear proliferation. This series has been left in its original order.
Organized into 4 series: Series 1, Subject Files, 1964-2015, arranged alphabetically with Professor Cohen's tenure file and interviews listed first to provide context; Series 2, Notebooks, 1969-2016, arranged chronologically; Series 3, Presentations, 1973-2014, arranged chronologically; Series 4, Publications, 1964-2016, arranged chronologically.
Biographical Note
Stephen P. Cohen (1936-2019) was a professor of Political Science and Asian Studies at the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana. Cohen started out as an instructor in 1965, then became assistant professor (1967), associate professor (1970), full professor (1979), and emeritus professor (1998). At the University of Illinois, Cohen was instrumental in the development of South Asian studies, an emeritus professor of the Center of South Asian and Middle Eastern Studies (CSAMES), and helped found the Program in Arms Control, Disarmament and International Security (ACDIS, 1978), which he directed from 1994 to 1998. In his thirty plus years at the University of Illinois, Dr. Cohen became a prominent expert on US involvement in South Asia, nuclear disarmament, and the relations between India and Pakistan. He retired in 1998 and became Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution.
Stephen Phillip Cohen was born in Chicago in 1936 and studied at the University of Chicago, where he received both a Bachelors of Art (1958) and Masters of Art (1959) in Political Science, before obtaining his PhD (1967) in Political Science at the University of Wisconsin at Madison. He was married to Roberta S. Brosilow Cohen, with whom he had six children. An expert on South Asian studies, and in particular, the relationship between India and Pakistan, Cohen served on the policy planning staff of the U.S. Department of State from 1985-1986, and was a Scholar-in-Residence at the Ford Foundation from 1992-1993. While at the University of Illinois, he was also active in ROTC. In 1998 Cohen joined the Brooking Institute where his work focused on resolving nuclear tensions between India and Pakistan. Cohen published extensively on South Asia, including fifteen books. Cohen died at the age of 83 on October 27, 2019.
Because of his expertise on South Asia and nuclear weaponry, he spoke nationally and internationally, including at The Asia Society conference, foreign policy groups, and the State Department. He also gave testimony before the House and Senate (1981-2008), particularly on South Asian security and the United States.
Subject/Index Terms
Administrative Information
Repository:
University of Illinois Archives
Processing Information:
Absent any original order, the archivist arranged the papers into 4 series. Titles provided by archivist are in brackets []. Duplicate publications and secondary materials by other authors have been weeded. During initial processing, 30 of Dr. Cohen's publications (1963-1979) were misplaced and have not been found. Initial processing by Vincent Bartholomew, spring 2021; completed by Lana Kay Tutterow (summer 2022) under the supervision of Susanne Belovari.
A 2nd accession of 2 boxes was transferred to the university archives and processed in Summer 2024.
PDF Box/Folder List
URL:
https://files.archon.library.illinois.edu/uasfa/1518038.pdf
PDF finding aid
for Stephen P. Cohen papers (15/18/38)
Box and Folder Listing
- Series 1: Initial Accession
- Sub-Series 1: Subject Files, 1964-2015
- This series consists of Cohen's tenure file and interviews of him, class materials, correspondence, and publication drafts. Included is an unfinished book draft titled "Rashomon" (1993-1996, and earlier notes) that looks at how policy makers from South Asia and beyond perceived the region, and how policies between South Asian countries were shaped by regional context and history. The series also contains his notes on research and national and international meetings, notes on a trip to study the Indian army in the region of Ladakh, specifically Leh, which talks of a riot protesting the wool syndicate in the early 1970s, and his testimonies to the United States House and Senate between 1981 and 2008. The series is arranged alphabetically; Professor Cohen's tenure file and interviews are listed first to provide context.
- Box 1
- Folder 1: Stephen P. Cohen Tenure Materials, 1978]
- Folder 2: Stephen P. Cohen Interviews, 1993-2013]
- Folder 3: Stephen P. Cohen Class Materials, 1978-1989]
- Folder 4: Stephen P. Cohen Correspondence, 1964-2013
- includes Cohen cartoon, 1998
- Folder 5: Stephen P. Cohen Drafts “Rashomon” Notes, Forward, and Chapter 1 snippets, 1989-1996]
- Folder 6: Stephen P. Cohen Drafts “Rashomon” Chapters 2,3, and 8 snippets, 1993-1995]
- Folder 7: Stephen P. Cohen Drafts] “Hope is not a policy”: Wishful thinking, India and America Non-official assessments, 1935-2015
- [may be taskforce draft]
- Folder 8: Stephen P. Cohen – Notes – Foreign Policy Meeting and Presentation on Soviet Union, Iran, Iraq, etc. on nuclear policy, arms proliferation, etc., late 80s early 90s]
- Folder 9: Stephen P. Cohen Notes on Research and Talks, 1964-1989
- also includes written recollections "on security of Khalistan by Capt. S. P. Khan, late of the Punjab Frontier Force Regt., Urballa Cantt (possibly a pseudonym, see last page)1994.
- Folder 10: Stephen P. Cohen - Notes To the Roof of the World by Jeep [summary of someone’s trip to see Indian army in Ladakh], undated
- Folder 11: Stephen P. Cohen Testimony to the U.S. House and Senate, 1981-2008]
- Sub-Series 2: Notebooks, 1969-2016
- This series contains Dr. Cohen's handwritten notebooks on research, national and international meetings such as foreign policy meetings, and conferences he attended. The series is arranged chronologically.
- Box 1
- Folder 12: Stephen P. Cohen Notebooks on Research, Meetings, and Conferences, 1969-1989
- Folder 13: Stephen P. Cohen Notebooks on Research, Meetings, and Conferences, 1990-1992
- Folder 14: Stephen P. Cohen Notebooks on Research, Meetings, and Conferences, 1993-2011
- Folder 15: Stephen P. Cohen Notebooks on Research, Meetings, and Conferences, 2012-2016
- Sub-Series 3: Presentations, 1973-2014
- This series contains Dr. Cohen's handwritten notebooks on research, national and international meetings such as foreign policy meetings, and conferences he attended. The series is arranged chronologically.
- Box 1
- Folder 16: Stephen P. Cohen Talks/Conferences, 1973-1983
- Folder 17: Stephen P. Cohen Talks/Conferences, 1984-1988
- Folder 18: Stephen P. Cohen Talks/Conferences, 1989-1993
- Folder 19: Stephen P. Cohen Talks/Conferences, 1994-1998
- Folder 20: Stephen P. Cohen Talks/Conferences – Cassette “Implications of the Indian Nuclear Bomb”, May 28, 1998
- Folder 21: Stephen P. Cohen Talks/Conferences, 1999-2005
- Folder 22: Stephen P. Cohen Talks/Conferences, 2006-2014
- Sub-Series 4: Publications, 1964-2016
- This series contains some of Dr. Cohen's publications, including journal and newspaper articles, studies sponsored by institutions such as The Asia Society as well co-authored Taskforce group reports. The series is arranged chronologically. During initial processing, 30 of Dr. Cohen's publications (1963-1979) were misplaced and have not yet been found.
- Box 2
- Folder 1: Stephen P. Cohen Publications, 1964-1976
- Folder 2: Stephen P. Cohen Publications, 1977-1984
- Folder 3: Stephen P. Cohen Publications, 1985-1989
- Folder 4: Stephen P. Cohen Publications, 1990-1994
- Box 3
- Folder 1: Stephen P. Cohen Publications, 1995-1999
- Folder 2: Stephen P. Cohen Publications, 2000-2004
- Folder 3: Stephen P. Cohen Publications, 2005-2016
- Series 2: 2nd Accession (2024)
- A 2nd accession of 2 boxes was transferred to the university archives and processed in Summer 2024.
- Sub-Series 1: Subject Files
- This series contains military interviews with other militaries such as India, Pakistan, Japan, Nepal, and Bangladesh; contracts, correspondence and meetings with the US Department of State, correspondence with the Central Intelligence agency, correspondence and an invitation to dinner with Pakistan president Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq, a piece of rock with a note that says Berlin Wall, photographs, and papers on nuclear proliferation. This series has been left in its original order.
- Box 4
- Folder 1: Brass Tacks projects design and correspondence, 1993-1994
- Folder 2: The Andhra Cyclone: 1977 notes and correspondence
- Folder 3: Wassag, 1995
- Folder 4: 2095 City of Death, 1995
- Folder 5: Situating Pakistan in South Asia (NDU, April 15, 2010)
- Folder 6: Summer Workshop on Defense, Technology, and Cooperative Security in South Asia, Sep. 20-29, 1998
- photograph
- Folder 7: Economist Magazine political cartoon, undated
- Folder 8: Military interview transcriptions India and Pakistan (130-136), 1980
- Folder 9: Military interview transcriptions India and Pakistan (126-129), 1980
- Folder 10: Interviews #65-90 1965-1977: U.S. India, Bdesh, Japan
- Folder 11: Interviews: #91-118 1977-78 U.S., India, Pakistan, Nepal
- Folder 12: Japan: Interviews, (1973)
- Folder 13: Interviews #24a-64 Ind. Civilians, 1964-69
- Folder 14: Interviews #12-23+8, 1963-69
- India & Pak military and visits
- Folder 15: Interviews #1-11 (British Military), 1963
- Folder 16: Interviews + bibliography
- completed
- Folder 17: Unsorted SPC ideas, outlines, etc. on S. Asian Security and Arms control, 1977
- Folder 18: Interviews: Old schedules, letters ADDresses, 1963-1965
- Folder 19: Interviews: Index, 1963-1980
- Folder 20: Pakistan interviews and notes, 1980
- Folder 21: Afghan Reconstruction, December 1, 2001
- Folder 22: Indian Military: Indianization, Recruitment, etc. M of D notes, 1965
- Folder 23: Kanti Bajpai, 1989
- Folder 24: Brookings: Job search, appointment letters, terms of work, contract, etc., 1997-2003
- Folder 25: Wilton Park, 6th-9th November 2008
- photograph
- Folder 26: Correspondence from “Henry”, December 2, 2007
- Folder 27: Indian Visa Appl., 1977-78
- Folder 28: Indian Visa Appl., 1972-1973
- Folder 29: India Mod Corresp., 1967-1978
- Folder 30: Sumit Ganguly U of I, 1979 –
- Folder 31: April 1984: Fulbright to Pakistan Flap and Problem
- Folder 32: Letter to Pakistani President Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq, 20 June 1980
- Folder 33: Trip notes and correspondence, 1985-1992
- Folder 34: Secret Department of State memos with M. Armacost and Richard H. Solomon, 1986
- Folder 35: Copperhead Memo Department of State correspondence, 1983-1985
- Folder 36: Confidential China information, 1985-1987
- Folder 37: Restricted Research Department Memorandum: The Sino-Indian Border Dispute, 1981
- Folder 38: Pakistan Trip, 1979
- Folder 39: 1997-98 The Pakistan Army, reprint edition correspondence
- Folder 40: The White Mutiny MSS., 1967-1968
- Folder 41: Politics, Culture, & Proliferation, 1996
- Folder 42: 1980 Pak Trip: Misc. letters and souvenirs
- Folder 43: USIS and ICA Lectures in India and Pakistan, 1977-78
- also news clips
- Folder 44: Trip letters and souvenirs: photographs of Cohen with Pakistan Army official and others, “Gentlemen Cadets” at the Pakistan Military Academy, Kakul, 1980 photograph, Berlin Wall rock, Pakistan bumper stickers, CIA recruitment poster, folder from Military Intelligence Directorate, 1969-1988
- OVERSIZE: folder from Military Intelligence Directorate stored in box 6
- Folder 45: II/D/7 State Notes SPC Papers, 1985
- Folder 46: Copperhead + F-20, 1984-87
- Folder 47: Illinois: Political Science Admin. Matters/pay, meetings, committees, trips, etc., 1965-1994
- Folder 48: 1996 489 SDC Presentation
- Box 5
- Folder 1: Extra-Regional Interests in S. Asia Arms Control Issues, undated
- Folder 2: MSS Footnotes, undated
- Folder 3: April, 1985 India Trip Notes
- Folder 4: Policy Process and Decision Making in India and Pakistan (Participants, Process), undated
- Folder 5: Jan 12, 1983 Nuclear South Asia Conference
- Folder 6: Proliferation Decision: India Nuclear, undated
- Folder 7: IISS article submitted to EPW, December 1981
- Folder 8: Introduction and Overview, 1977
- Folder 9: Curzon-Kitchener: Dissertation chapter, basic notes, addenda., undated
- Folder 10: Interviews #119-125 Pakistan, 1980
- Folder 11: II/D/6 S Pate Notes AFG Nego., 1986
- Folder 12: II/D/3 State notes Pakistan Program, 1980-1985
- Folder 13: II/D/2 State notes process, 1983-1986
- Folder 14: 1984: “The Bomb, India, & Pakistan” Publication Correspondence
- Folder 15: II/D/4 State notes India, 1980-1987
- Folder 16: Add to book, 1969
- Folder 17: British – Ch. 2 & 3 Round Table, June 1963
- Folder 18: II/D/5 State notes Nuclear, 1985-87
- Folder 19: 1980 Trip to Pakistan, India: Notes copy A of transcripts, interviews, etc. (invitation to dinner with Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq)
- Folder 20: II/D/1 State Notes (general), 1986-1987
- Folder 21: India & The Bomb: correspondence, 1966-1969
- Folder 22: Ladakh Trip, 1969
- Folder 23: Curzon-Kitchener Articles: notes and correspondence, 1963-1966
- Folder 24: Bellagio notes and SPC Brasstacks notes, 1984
- Folder 25: U.S. State Dept: Copes of SPC Reports, Papers, Consulting Projects, 1979-1980
- Folder 26: 1987 USG
- Folder 27: US State Department: Spc. Consulting: correspondence, letters, contracts, etc,, 1977-1981
- Folder 28: American Inst. of Indian Studies, 1977-1988
- Folder 29: H. Rizvi, 1981-1988
- Folder 30: Ragh Chitturi, 1973-1984
- Folder 31: Rand, Articles, Misc. to file, and use, 1990-1993
- Folder 32: CIA, Centra, Northrop Grumman, Mitre/SAIC, Rand, AES, 2003-2006
- Folder 33: LLNL Clearances etc inactive, 1999
- Folder 34: Stephen Cohen, 1959-1962
- Folder 35: 1997 USG consulting, Pakistan Army Project, notes, texts, correspondence
- Folder 36: 1997: USG Pakistan army project, manuscript
- Folder 37: Steves notes 3-83, 1985-1988
- Folder 38: SPC/Dept. of State Background correspondence
- Folder 39: Early SPC USH contract 1970s/80s CIA
- Box 6
- Folder 1: Consulting: State & NSC, 1990-1997
- Folder 2: Wash & NYC, 1990-1992
- Folder 3: India/Sri Lanka trip notes, undated
- Folder 4: 1989-SPC correspondence on nuclear issues and DOE conf.
- Folder 5: 1996 Rockefeller FDN. Consulting
- Folder 6: SPC conference and field notes, 1986
- Folder 7: Brookings conflict of interest form, 2017
- Folder 8: State Dept. Briefings, October 10-20, 1997
- Folder 9: SPC conference notes and reports, 1988-1989
- Folder 10: Stephen Cohen photographs, ca. 2010s
- Folder 11: Loose papers: Iraq invasion flowchart, political cartoons, Pakistan writings, etc., 1970s-2000s
- Folder 12: “Long Live the Thought of Mao Tse-tung” pin
- Sub-Series 2: Notebooks
- Box 6
- Folder 13: Stephen P. Cohen Notebooks on Research, Meetings, and Conferences, 1998-2008
- Folder 14: Military Intelligence Directorate
- Oversize empty folder
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