The Albert Einstein Institution was founded in 1983 and is dedicated to advancing the study and use of strategic nonviolent action in conflicts throughout the world. It is committed to the defense of freedom, democracy, and the reduction of political violence through the use of nonviolent action. The principle founder of the AEI is Dr. Gene Sharp.

The AEI encourages research and policy studies on the methods of nonviolent action and their past use in diverse conflicts, shares the results of this research with the public through publications, conferences, and the media, and consults with groups in conflict about the strategic potential of nonviolent action. To further its mission, the Institution has supported research projects, actively consulted with resistance and pro-democracy groups, and worked to publicize the power and potential of nonviolent struggle around the world through educational materials, analyses, translations, workshops, and media visibility.

The AEI was named after the scientist, Albert Einstein and continues his struggle to resolve the continuing problems of political violence.  Einstein was deeply concerned about war, oppression, dictatorship, genocide, and nuclear weapons. At various times he was a war resister, a supporter of the war against the Nazi system, and an advocate of world government. In his later life, he became enormously impressed with the potential of nonviolent struggle.

Scope and Arrangement of the Collection
The records of the AEI were transferred to the Swarthmore College Peace Collection beginning in May of 2005.  The records were divided into the following six main categories:  Administrative files; Program files; Publicity; Publications, Audio Visual materials and Development.

The Administrative section includes files of the AEI board, AEI correspondence, financial records of the Institution, and personnel records of AEI staff.

The Program section includes records of AEI programs around the world, with especial emphasis on South Africa, Burma, Tibet, and parts of the former Soviet Union. There is additional information on nonviolent international social justice movements in this section. The Program files also contains the records of AEI Fellows and their work for the Institution. In addition, records in the Program files cover the Institution's projects to produce many translations of books on nonviolence philosophy and methodology that the AEI sponsored. Books were tranlasted into at least 35 languages, including Arabic, Chinese (Mandarin), five Burmese languages, Dutch, Estonian, Farsi, French, German, Hebrew, Italien, Japanese, Korean, Lithuanian, Norwegian, Polish, Portugese, Russian, Spanish, and Tibetan. Copies of various publications may be found in the Peace Collection's on line catalog: Tripod.

The Publicity section includes material on the AEI and nonviolence movements from a variety of U.S. newspapers.

The Publications section of the AEI, includes AEI reports. newsletters, annual reports, original monographs, and information on the publication strategies of the translations.

A variety of audio visual material, in the form of video recordings and audio cassettes on the practice of nonviolence compromise another section of the records.

The Development files includes extensive information about AEI fundraising campaigns, donor information from both individuals and public and private foundations.

The files were created and arranged by AEI staff. The original arrangment of these records has been maintained at this time.