Finding Aid for the Comparative and International Education Society records

Author: Prepared by Youngchu Kim and Kim P. Sebaly, January 1986

Revisions: April 1995, Revised by Kim P. Sebaly and Nancy Birk; 2013-2015: Extensively revised by Philip C. Shackelford, Cara Gilgenbach, and Elizabeth Campion; Last Update: March 2021

Descriptive Rules: DACS

Origination: Comparative and International Education Society

Inclusive Dates: 1956-2014

Bulk Dates: 1980-1994

Extent: 57.16 cubic feet

Physical Location: 10th floor

Language of Materials: English

Abstract: The collection contains the official records and publications of the Comparative and International Education Society (CIES), an organization founded in 1956 as the Comparative Education Society. The Society promotes the study and teaching of comparative education and international studies in education.

History of the Comparative and International Education Society: The Comparative Education Society (CIES) was established on April 27, 1956, following the Third Annual Meeting at New York University of American educators interested in comparative education. William W. Brickman, Convener of the Annual Meetings at New York University, was elected the first President of the Society; Robert B. Sutton (Ohio State University) was elected the first Vice President; Gerald H. Read (Kent State University) was elected the first Secretary-Treasurer. "International" became part of the Society's name in September 1969, to reflect the broadened scope of interest held by its expanding membership. The Society's business office was located at Kent State University until 1973. Today, the Society's has grown to over 2,100 members. It publishes a newsletter and a journal (Comparative Education Review), holds an annual conference, and organizes standing and ad hoc committees to address specific objectives and professional interests.

For more information on the history and mission of CIES, please see the Society's website at https://www.cies.us/page/About.

Scope and Content: The CIES records are comprised of documents and audio-visual materials representing the history, activities, and interests of CIES since its creation in 1956. These files include materials from the CIES Secretariat, volumes of Comparative Education Review and associated records, files of the various presidents of CIES, records of the CIES annual conference, and CIES study tours undertaken during the organization's earlier years.

Statement of Arrangement: The collection is currently organized into six series.
(click on the headings below to link to a more detailed inventory of the contents of each series)

• Series 1: Comparative Education Review records (currently under revision)
• Series 2: Secretariat records (Note: includes annual conference files, newsletters, membership directories, committee files, and much more)
• Series 3: Presidential files
• Series 4: Founding Members
  • William W. Brickman papers
  • Gerald H. Read papers
• Series 5: Subject files
• Series 6: Regional Organizations files

Preferred Citation: Comparative and International Society records. Kent State University Libraries. Special Collections and Archives.

Separated Material: The Comparative Education Review is cataloged separately in KentLINK and shelved on the 10th floor.

Restrictions on Access: Unpublished manuscripts in the CER records series are restricted for ten years after the date on which they were created.

Restrictions on Use: Kent State University does not own the copyright to materials in this collection. Copyright resides with CIES or individual authors of manuscripts, when applicable.

Acquisition Information: The Kent State University Archives became of the official depository of the records of the Comparative and International Education Society by action of the Society's Board of Directors in October, 1980. Professor George Z. F. Bereday, Editor of the Comparative Education Review (1957-1966), made the first donation to the collection in January, 1981. Since then, records from the Secretariat, various Presidents of the Society, and the Review have been placed in the collection.

Accruals: Materials are added to the collection on a regular basis.

Processing Information: The CIES records at Kent State University are currently undergoing extensive revision and further processing, and thus the organization of the collection and structure and content of this finding aid will change throughout the year. As of January 2015, the Secretariat series and Presidential files have been extensively revised and updated, and the Founding Members series including the papers of William Brickman and Gerald Read as well as a Subject Files series have been added to the collection. Processing work on the CER records is continuing at this time.