Although generally resembling the archival collections created by most academics, the Quinney collection is of special interest for several reasons. Quinney's radical views made him one of the most controversial members of his profession, and for historians of sociological and radical theory the collection provides ample documentation of the development and expression of these ideas. There is also material on the intellectual evolution which has more recently taken him beyond the strict confines of sociology. Adherence to political ideals led to a career pattern for Quinney which differed from many of his colleagues and the collection also contains considerable material on these choices. Finally, his Wisconsin origin, an increasing focus of both his personal and intellectual life, is also documented in the collection. While his Wisconsin youth is not represented by direct, primary source material, this theme is represented in later writings such as “A Place Called Home,” which are included. This part of the collection does not contain any family photographs such as those Quinney took as a young man of life in Elkhorn or any of his more recent photographic work.

The chronologically-arranged CORRESPONDENCE covers the years 1957 to 1988. It includes both incoming letters and carbons of outgoing correspondence, and it pertains to all aspects of Quinney's life, although the bulk of it is related to academic and professional activities. There is some overlap with the correspondence contained within the Professional Files, and, as a consequence, researchers should examine both subseries in order to locate all letters on a particular topic.

The PROFESSIONAL FILES are comprised of documentation concerning Quinney's education and doctoral research, his teaching positions, and his involvement with various professional organizations and journals. The educational files are arranged chronologically by institution and date from 1955 through the completion of his dissertation. The University of Wisconsin files, which are the most extensive in the section, contain files on individual courses taken as a graduate student. The teaching files are also arranged chronologically by institutional affiliation. Variously included for each institution is correspondence pertaining to employment, salary, course development, and work with students. Several periods in his teaching career are also represented by files on grant proposals, special projects, and sabbatical study. The professional organizations are alphabetically arranged. The correspondence here generally concerns arrangements for professional meetings and the submission of articles. Most extensive are the files on the American Sociological Association and the Society for the Study of Social Problems. The files on the Popular Justice Research Group contain draft materials for a volume on which the members of the group collaborated.

Quinney's SPEECHES AND WRITINGS are arranged by genre and include articles, books, speeches, poetry, and a handwritten journal. Short works, generally encompassing speeches and articles, are arranged alphabetically by title. Draft manuscripts are included here only in those cases in which the early versions differed substantially from the printed work. Also here is a file of reprints for which there was no other documentation in the collection.

Files on Quinney's books are quite extensive and are arranged chronologically by publication date. Titles which were withdrawn or not published have been filed by approximate date. Volumes which were revised and published as second editions have been filed following the earlier editions to which they relate. Although Quinney saved virtually all of the paper relating to the production of each book--from early notes through galleys, page proofs, and published volumes--only the drafts which exhibit substantial changes from the published volume have been retained as part of the collection. This material and the related editorial correspondence are filed in chronological order. Because of deteriorating paper and Quinney's cut and paste style of revision, large parts of this section have been microfilmed in order to preserve the intellectual content. After filming the originals were returned to Mr. Quinney.

The small, alphabetically-arranged SUBJECT FILE contains information on research ideas, correspondence with authors who wished to quote from Quinney's publications, and information on several organizations with which he was involved.