Materials in this collection document Brenner’s research through translation notes and interview transcripts, research notes, correspondence, clippings, copies of manuscripts, and sound recordings of interviews, research materials, and musical performances dating from 1939-1993. The collection is divided into 6 series and retained Brenner’s organization of materials wherever possible.

Series 1 contains Brenner’s research conducted in Francophone Africa. Materials include interview transcriptions and translations, research journals, research for his books Controlling Knowledge, and West African Sufi, and research with Malian traditionalist Almamy Malik Yattara. Corresponding interview sound recordings are located in Series 6 and have been digitized for researcher use and can be accessed by request in the virtual reading room. Corresponding sound recording numbers are located in item-level descriptions in Series 6.

Series 2 contains materials about Malian diplomat and author Amadou Hampâté Bâ. Hampâté Bâ was an influential figure in Brenner’s research, as a series of interviews conducted by Brenner in Paris in 1978 were important milestones in Brenner’s research on Sufism and Cerno Bokar. Materials in this series include records obtained from Théodore Monod (which Brenner received access to in 1995), correspondence, interview transcripts and summaries, and collected newspaper clippings. Corresponding interview sound recordings are located in Series 6 and have been digitized for researcher use and can be accessed by request in the virtual reading room. Corresponding sound recording numbers are located in item-level descriptions in Series 6.

Series 3 contains materials from research about Northern Nigeria. Materials include notes and archive extracts, collected documents, manuscripts, transcripts, documents on microfilm, and Kabbe transcriptions. The corresponding kabbe tawidi recitation audio is located in Series 6 and has been digitized for researcher use and can be accessed by request in the virtual reading room. The corresponding sound recording number is located in item-level descriptions in Series 6.

Series 4 contains collected copies of Arabic manuscripts with Brenner’s notes and annotations.

Series 5 contains Brenner’s unpublished Lexicon of Islamic Technical Terms in Arabic and African Languages project. Materials include correspondence from the research process, administrative correspondence, and course materials.

Series 6 contains sound recordings of interviews, research materials, and musical performances. These items have been digitized for researcher use and can be accessed by request in the virtual reading room. Corresponding sound recording numbers are located in item-level descriptions.