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Middle Eastern Studies: Databases

Beige Concrete Buildings on High Ground in Israel

Databases provide access to high-quality peer-reviewed journal articles, conference proceedings, book chapters, dissertations and many other resources. 

These databases have been especially selected for this subject area. When carrying out your research for a piece of work, you will need to search more than one database to find all of the journal articles relevant to your topic, as each database covers different journal titles.

Database Spotlight

Promotional image for Confidential Print: Middle East, 1839-1969 depicting a map

Confidential Print: Middle East, 1839-1969

The Confidential Print series, issued by the British Government between c. 1820 and 1970, is a fundamental building block for political, social and economic research. The series originated out of a need to preserve the most important papers generated by the Foreign and Colonial Offices. These range from single-page letters or telegrams to comprehensive dispatches, investigative reports and texts of treaties. All items marked ‘Confidential Print’ were printed and circulated immediately to leading officials in the Foreign Office, to the Cabinet and to heads of British missions abroad. The Confidential Print: Middle East 1839-1969 collection consists of the Confidential Print for the countries of the Levant and the Arabian peninsula, Iran, Turkey, Egypt and Sudan. Beginning with the Egyptian reforms of Muhammad Ali Pasha in the 1830s, the documents trace the events of the following 150 years, including the Middle East Conference of 1921, the mandates for Palestine and Mesopotamia, the partition of Palestine, the 1956 Suez Crisis and post-Suez Western foreign policy, and the Arab-Israeli conflict (Provided by Publisher).

Essential databases

The following are important databases for this subject area, however if you don't see what you're looking for, please go to the Database Directory for Middle Eastern Studies to browse a wider selection.

 

  • Index Islamicus Essential
    The Index Islamicus database indexes literature on Islam, the Middle East and the Muslim world. It is produced by an editorial team working at the School of Oriental and African Studies in London, established to transmit knowledge about Islamic and Middle East studies, which have traditionally been part of the curriculum of SOAS. Records included in the database cover almost 100 years of publications on the world of Islam. Material cited in the Index Islamicus includes not only work written about the Middle East, but also about the other main Muslim areas of Asia and Africa, plus Muslim minorities elsewhere. Over 3,000 journals are monitored for inclusion in the database, together with conference proceedings, monographs, multi-authored works and book reviews. Journals and books are indexed down to the article and chapter level.
  • The encyclopaedia of Islam (BrillOnline) Essential
    The Encyclopaedia of Islam (EI) was originally published in print between 1913 and 1936. The demand for an encyclopaedic work on Islam was created by the increasing (colonial) interest in Muslims and Islamic cultures during the nineteenth century. The scope of the Encyclopedia of Islam Online is philology, history, theology and law until early 20th century. Such famous scholars as Houtsma, Wensinck, Gibb, Snouck Hurgronje, and Lvi-Provenal were involved in this scholarly endeavor.
  • Oxford Bibliographies: Islamic Studies Essential
    The field of Islamic Studies is both wide-reaching and dynamic. It includes the range of foundational documents, traditions, institutions, and history of Muslims in various countries and regions throughout the world from the origins of Islam to the present day. This interdisciplinary field therefore includes history, religion, philosophy, anthropology, Arabic language and literature, as well as literatures in other languages including Persian, Turkish, and Urdu, and remains responsive to new discoveries, interpretations, ideologies and theories.The Internet makes access to staggering amounts of information easy but it also raises important questions: What are the major issues and key developments in the field? Which sources are up-to-date and which are obsolete? Which works are pivotal in defining the discourse at various stages in its development? Which sources are considered accurate and balanced, and which represent simply a given individual or groups position? These questions are important to keep in mind when undertaking any new study, but they are particularly critical in a dynamic and contested field such as Islamic Studies. Oxford Bibliographies in Islamic Studies combats this overload by providing expert guidance to the field in all its diversity and throughout its developmental stages. Top scholars in the field have contributed on their areas of expertise, so that users will understand how the field is organized and why it developed in the way it did. The articles present a guided tour through the key literature on each topic, providing context for its development, and a balanced overview of the major issues within a given topic.
  • JSTOR Essential
    Used by millions for research, teaching, and learning. With more than a thousand academic journals and over one million images, letters, and other primary sources, JSTOR is one of the world's most trusted sources for academic content.
  • Web of Science Essential
    Web of Science Core Collection provides access to the world's leading citation databases. Authoritative, multidisciplinary content covers journals worldwide, including Open Access journals and conference proceedings. Includes current and retrospective coverage in the sciences, social sciences, arts, and humanities, with coverage to 1900. All cited references for all publications are fully indexed and searchable. Search across all authors and all author affiliations.Track citation activity with Citation Alerts. See citation activity and trends graphically with Citation Report.Use Analyze Results to identify trends and publication patterns.

Key database categories

Follow the links below to browse databases for specific types of resources.

Database Directory

You can use our Database Directory to browse a broader range of databases that are relevant to Middle Eastern Studies as well as other subjects. The directory also allows you to identify databases that provide access to specific types of resources (e.g. Full Text Articles, Streaming Video, Patents, Theses and Dissertations, and much more).

Database Directory Middle Eastern Studies

 

Research at the University of Manchester

The University of Manchester's research is internationally recognised. Go to Research Explorer, Manchester's research database, to discover the breadth of research produced by staff across the University.

Browse research publications from Modern Languages & Cultures - Arabic & Middle Eastern Studies (please note: whilst many of the publications listed are available to access/Open Access, some records are for forthcoming titles awaiting publication).

 

Research Explorer Search Interface

 

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