David Hamburg MD Papers, 1996 - 2011

Summary

Creator:
Hamburg, David A., 1925-2019
Abstract:
This collection documents David Hamburg's work in the prevention of deadly conflict, mass violence, and genocide between 1996 to 2011. The collection has 4 series: United Nations, European Union, Scholars and World Leaders, and Written work.
Extent:
4 boxes 1.67 linear feet
Language:
English

Background

Scope and content:

The collection includes Dr. Hamburg’s correspondence, meeting materials, written notes, and other materials accumulated between 1996 and 2011 in the following four categories: United Nations (1996-2011), European Union (2002-2011), Scholars and World Leaders (1996-2011), and Written work (1996-2010). The electronic archive contains all of the materials donated to Cornell. The hard copy archive primarily includes original correspondence with world leaders, key meeting materials, written notes, and books/reports.

United Nations: Hamburg played a key advisory role at the United Nations in multiple departments, most notably in the Executive Offices of three Secretaries-General. Examples of his work at the UN included: facilitating linkages between the global scientific community and the UN (1996-2001); establishing an international policy framework and network on “Health as a Bridge for Peace” based out of the World Health Organization (1997-2006); serving as advisor to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (1997-2001); serving on the Board of Trustees for the UN Institute for Training and Research (1998-2009); and, on Kofi Annan’s request, creating a strong network of advisers to launch the University for Peace (UPEACE) (2000-2001). Through his leadership as advisor to Secretaries-General Kofi Annan and Ban Ki-moon (1997-2010), Hamburg facilitated the appointment of the Special Adviser to the Secretary-General on the Prevention of Genocide beginning in 2004; the establishment of the Advisory Committee to the Secretary-General on the Prevention of Genocide which he chaired (2005-2010); and the strengthening of the Office of the Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide beginning in 2006. The United Nations folder of the archive contains materials from 1996-2011 in the following eight categories: Secretary-General Kofi Annan and his Core Staff (1997-2007), Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and his Core Staff (2006-2010), Secretary-General Boutros-Boutros Ghali (post tenure), Special Adviser Juan Mendez (2004-2008), Special Adviser Francis Deng (2007-2011), Advisory Committee to the SG on Prevention of Genocide (2005-2011), Related United Nations Initiatives (1996-2006), Research and Reports on the UN and Preventing Deadly Conflict.

European Union: Hamburg’s activities in the European Union during his later years also pivoted around the prevention of deadly conflict and genocide, and the collection includes materials from 2003-2010. Parallel to his Advisory Committee at the UN, Dr. Hamburg also chaired an advisory committee to the Secretary General of the Council of the European Union, Javier Solana, in order to establish an international center on the prevention of genocide based out of the EU. By 2008, plans were underway to establish the center in Hungary. Between 2007 and 2010, Hamburg also became involved with the European Union Institute for Security Studies (EUISS), both as an advisor and as an active participant in meetings and conferences. The European Union section of the collection spans from 2003 to 2010 and includes materials in the following five categories, and significant initiatives, meetings, individuals, and highlights covered in each category are detailed below: Secretary General Javier Solana and Core Staff (2005-2010), Steering Committee on Preventing Genocide (2005-2011), Establishment of International Center in Hungary (2008-2010), Related EU Initiatives (2003-2010), EU Key Documents (2007-2010).

Scholars and World Leaders: Dr. Hamburg’s wide-reaching leadership and scholarly activities positioned him well to form professional and personal relationships with international leaders in government, academia, and the field of human rights. His close relationship with Desmond Tutu is well-documented in the Advisory Committee folder of the United Nations section. Hamburg’s correspondence and working relationship with the following individuals are included in this section, and correspondence and related materials are grouped chronologically: 1996-2005 Condoleezza Rice and George W. Bush, 2001-2010 Hillary R. Clinton, 2002-2009 Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter, 2004 Graham Allison, 2005-2006 FW De Klerk, 2005-2011 John Packer and Max Van der Stoel, 2008-2009 Barack Obama, 2009 Office of War Crimes Issues.

Written work: The hard copy archive includes the Final Report of the Carnegie Commission on Preventing Deadly Conflict and Hamburg’s recent books on prevention of deadly conflict and violence: No More Killing Fields: Preventing Deadly Conflict (2002); Learning to Live Together: Preventing Hatred and Violence in Child and Adolescent Development (2004); and Preventing Genocide: Practical Steps toward Early Detection and Effective Action (2010). Additionally, there is an annotated script of Hamburg’s documentary based on his most recent book. The electronic archive includes written work in the following categories: 2007-2010 Documentary on Preventing Genocide; 2008 Press; 2008-2010 PMV Overview Material; 2009-2010 Autobiographical Statements re: Work on PMV; and Lectures and Key Documents. The latter file includes a major proposal submitted to the co-chairs of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, John Kerry and Richard Lugar, to establish a series of hearings on “Preventing Mass Violence as an Organizing Principle of American Foreign Policy.”

Biographical / historical:

David Allen Hamburg (1925-2019), DeWitt Wallace Distinguished Scholar at Weill Cornell Medical College, had a long history of leadership in the research, medical and psychiatric fields. Among other roles, he served as Professor and Chairman of Psychiatry at Stanford University (1961-1976), President of the Institute of Medicine, National Academy of Sciences (1975-1980), Professor of Health Policy at Harvard University (1980-1983) and President then Chairman of the Board of the American Association for the Advancement of Sciences (1984-1986). He was President of the Carnegie Corporation of New York from 1982 until 1997, after which he joined the Department of Psychiatry at Cornell in 1998.

Hamburg devoted the later part of his career to the prevention of deadly conflict, mass violence, and genocide, particularly through his pioneering work as co-chairman of the Carnegie Commission on Preventing Deadly Conflict, as chairman of the Advisory Committee to the Secretary-General on Prevention of Genocide at the United Nations, as chairman of a parallel committee to the Secretary General of the European Union, and through his work with numerous world leaders, renowned scholars, and non-governmental and academic institutions. He accomplished much of this work during his time at Cornell. The collection documents his work in conflict prevention between 1996 and 2011.

Acquisition information:
Gift of David Hamburg, 2011.

Access and use

Restrictions:

There are no access restrictions on this material.

Terms of access:

Written permission must be obtained from the Oskar Diethelm Library and all relevant rights holders before publishing quotations, excerpts or images from any materials in this collection.

Location of this collection:
DeWitt Wallace Institute of Psychiatry: History, Policy and the Arts
Weill Cornell Medical College
525 East 68th Street, Box 140
New York, NY 10065, United States
Link to repository site
Contact:
212-746-3728