Duke University Archives

Paper Topics
Suggestions from Duke's Archivists
For a list of papers done, click here.
Student publications

• The Chronicle as an activist newspaper.
• It's to laugh. What do campus humor magazines say about their times?

Student organizations

• Social activism in student religious and political groups.
• Duke University Union: student-run arts programming.
• Student leadership societies: how to recognize and promote leadership.
• From WDBS to WXDU: Duke’s student radio.

Student life

• Freshman orientation then and now.
• The undergraduate experience of Reynolds Price, Elizabeth Dole, or ?
• East Campus: from The Woman's College to The Freshman Campus.
• The curriculum of the department of ?, 1930s, 1950s, 1980s.

Campus issues

• The arts at Duke.
• The changing image of alcohol at Duke.
• Duke students and Durham: a history of public service learning.
• Town and gown: Duke's role in Durham's history.
• Honor codes.
• University Governance: who runs this place, anyway?
• Duke faculty and the civil rights movement.
• The leadership of John F. Crowell as President, 1887-1894. (honors potential)
• Race relations since 1969.
• Support for international students.

Sports

• The history of Duke (name your sport)
• Women's athletics: from PT classes to varsity competition.