E. B. Brossard papers, 1908-2007

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Summary

Creators:
Brossard, E. B.
Abstract:
The papers consist primarily of Brossard's writings and research materials, the bulk of which pertain to the history of the Venezuelan oil industry and to modern Venezuelan politics. In addition, the papers contain a considerable quantity of research materials relating to the general history of the international petroleum industry. The research materials are comprised largely of reports, serial issues, and clippings, and are grouped by subject. The papers include some correspondence relating both to Brossard's research and to her career as a professor of political science at a number of American universities.
Extent:
57 manuscript boxes, 1 oversize box (23.2 Linear Feet)
Language:
In English and Spanish
Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], E. B. Brossard papers, [Box no., Folder no. or title], Hoover Institution Library & Archives.

Background

Scope and content:

The papers consist primarily of Brossard's writings and research materials, the bulk of which pertain to the history of the Venezuelan oil industry and to modern Venezuelan politics. In addition, the papers contain a considerable quantity of research materials relating to the general history of the international petroleum industry. The research materials are comprised largely of reports, serial issues, and clippings, and are grouped by subject. The papers include some correspondence relating both to Brossard's research and to her career as a professor of political science at a number of American universities.

Emma Brossard derived her knowledge of Venezuela from personal experience -- she spent part of her childhood there -- and from her study of the country's politics and oil industry. She wrote her doctoral dissertation on R贸mulo Betancourt, president of Venezuela from 1945 to 1948 and again from 1959 to 1964. Brossard went on to write numerous articles and several monographs on the Venezuelan oil industry. In her last years, Brossard was a fierce critic of former Venezuelan president Hugo Ch谩vez, and the papers contain her articles and research materials on Ch谩vez.

The papers contain extensive documentation on the activities of Petr贸leos de Venezuela, the country's national oil company, as well as those of its many subsidiaries. These materials include annual reports, financial statements, statistics, and articles from the Venezuelan press. There are also papers from a number of conferences held on the subject of the Venezuelan oil industry. As a whole, the materials trace the history of the Venezuelan oil industry from its beginnings down to the Ch谩vez era.

A significant portion of the papers concern Brossard's teaching career at Louisiana State University, Hillsdale College, and the University of West Florida. These materials include her correspondence with academic officials and students, speeches and addresses made by Brossard, and course materials from classes she taught.

There are some sound and video recordings in the papers, including an audio interview of R贸mulo Betancourt conducted by Brossard in 1970 (box 1). The papers also contain the first volume of Emma Brossard's unpublished memoirs (box 40), as well as articles and papers relating to one of Brossard's former teachers, the political philosopher Leo Strauss (boxes 9, 49, and 53).

Biographical / historical:
Date Event
1928
Born, San Juan, Puerto Rico
1940
Bachelor of Arts, University of Wisconsin at Madison
1971
Doctorate in political science, Claremont College
1983
Author, Petroleum: Politics and Power
1993
Author, Petroleum Research and Venezuela's INTEVEP: The Clash of the Titans
2001
Author, Power and Petroleum: Venezuela, Cuba and Colombia, a Troika?
1973-1975
Taught at Hillsdale College, Michigan
1975-1982
Visiting professor and then associate professor of government, University of West Florida, Pensacola
1982-1991
Associate professor of government, Louisiana State University at Baton Rouge
Acquisition information:
Acquired by the Hoover Institution Library Archives in 2001.
Physical location:
Hoover Institution Library & Archives
Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Access and use

Restrictions:

The collection is open for research; materials must be requested in advance via our reservation system. If there are audiovisual or digital media material in the collection, they must be reformatted before providing access.

Terms of access:

For copyright status, please contact the Hoover Institution Library & Archives.

Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], E. B. Brossard papers, [Box no., Folder no. or title], Hoover Institution Library & Archives.

Location of this collection:
Hoover Institution Library & Archives, Stanford University
Stanford, CA 94305-6003, US
Contact:
(650) 723-3563
hooverarchives@stanford.edu
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