Academic articles contain original research on a narrow topic. They are usually peer-reviewed and are published in scholarly journals.
To find articles on your topic, use keywords to search in one of the databases listed below. For additional help, check out our tutorial on finding scholarly / peer-reviewed articles.
If the article you want isn't available in full text you can request it for free from Interlibrary Loan.
Abstracts in Anthropology contains several thousand abstracts in subfields that include Cultural Anthropology, Physical Anthropology, Archaeology and Linguistics.
A large multi-subject database covering every topic with scholarly journals and popular magazines.
Access provided by KYVL.
Covers the history of the world (excluding the United States and Canada) from 1450 to the present.
Provides access to a variety of English-language journals published in the social sciences, 1983-present.
Background information gives you a general overview of a topic and is a great way to find keywords and learn basic concepts. You can use Wikipedia or one of the encyclopedias listed below.
Encyclopedia of the Peoples of Asia and Oceania by
Encyclopedia of the Peoples of Asia and Oceania is a new two-volume A-to-Z reference to the peoples of the Asia-Pacific region east of the Caspian Sea, not including the countries of the Middle East. More than 400 entries cover the major peoples that for a time maintained a cultural identity in the area - from ancient to modern times - describing their history, migration, culture, belief system, social organization, and relationship to other peoples. This accessible resource makes it easy for students to find not only entries on the Han and Jurchens but also on 'Chinese: nationality', describing who they are today with cross-references to the various ancestral peoples. Entries on all large or well-known groups include information on their geography, origins, languages, history, and culture. Subsections cover such topics as subsistence, religion, social and political structures, economy, government, military practices, dwellings and architecture, clothing, transportation, technology, art, music, and literature. The back matter includes a chronology, bibliography, and comprehensive index, as well as several appendixes with useful background information on topics such as kinship systems, religious systems, and subsistence systems.
Encyclopedia of Modern Asia by
The Encyclopedia of Modern Asia is a monumental new scholarly work, as expansive in scope as the continent of Asia itself. Under the direction of cultural anthropologist David Levinson, 800 contributors from around the world -- including 25 Asian countries -- provide 6, 000 articles on Modern Asia from a global perspective. The Encyclopedias comparative, cross-cultural approach allows students and researchers to identify the similarities and differences among Asian nations and religions. The work focuses on Asia in the modern world -- including Central Asia, the Middle East and the Far East -- and contemporary issues are given full and authoritative treatment. Historical articles emphasize people, places, events and developments that have had a lasting influence on Asia. Articles also cover Asian relations with Western nations, the relations between nations within Asia and also the flow of people, goods and ideas within Asia and globally. Also includes approximately 1, 000 black-and-white photographs, maps, sidebars and a comprehensive index.
Southeast Asia [3 Volumes] by
An in-depth, historical encyclopedia of Southeast Asia, with coverage from prehistoric times to the end of the 20th century for each country in the region. Southeast Asia: A Historical Encyclopedia, From Angkor Wat to East Timor is the premier and authoritative reference work covering the history of the region, which consists of Myanmar (formerly Burma), Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, Indonesia, the Philippines, and East Timor. Organized in a user-friendly, A-Z format, with entries ranging from brief descriptions to expansive essays, this comprehensive, pioneering three-volume work covers archaeology and prehistory, politics and culture, socioeconomics, ethno-history, language, institutions and organizations, wars and conflicts, personalities, geography, religions and folklore, and environment. A list of the book's 130 contributors reads like a "who's who" of renowned Southeast Asianists, including Barbara Watson Andaya, David Chandler, John Gullick, V. T. King, Milton Osborne, Anthony Reid, Nicholas Tarling, Robert H. Taylor, Anthony Milner, Wang Gungwu, and many others. Writing for a nonspecialist audience, their work presents impeccable scholarship and incisive analysis in a style that is both informative and captivating. Over 800 A-Z entries covering a wide range of diverse historical topics from the Bataan Death March to the Ramayana Contributions from an international panel of over 130 scholars Illustrations, maps, and photographs that are informative, critical, and up to date A chronology, bibliography, and index complete the coverage
Encyclopedia of Women's Folklore and Folklife [2 Volumes] by
From the stone age to the cyber age, women and men have experienced the world differently. Out of a cosmos of goddesses and she-devils, earth mothers and madonnas, witches and queens, saints and whores, a vast body of women's folklore has come into bloom. International in scope and drawing on more than 130 expert contributors, this encyclopedia reviews the myths, traditions, and beliefs central to women's daily lives. More than 260 alphabetically arranged entries cover the lore of women across time, space, and life. Students of history, religion and spirituality, healing and traditional medicine, literature, and world cultures will value this encyclopedia as an indispensable guide to women's folklore. In addition, there are entries on women's folklore and folklife in 15 regions of the world, such as the Caribbean, Central Asia, the Middle East, and Western Europe. Entries provide cross-references and cite works for further reading, and the encyclopedia closes with a selected bibliography of print and electronic resources. Students learning about history, world cultures, religion and spirituality, healing and traditional medicine, and literature will welcome this companion to the daily life of women across time and continents.
Encyclopedia of Ancient Asian Civilizations by
Covering ancient Asia from the Jomon culture in Japan in approximately 11,000 BCE through to the Cambodian empires that lasted until the 15th century, this encyclopedia covers civilizations that have thus far been treated only marginally in English literature.
Scholarly books are much longer than articles, and they provide more depth and context. You can find physical books or e-books using the search box below. Try searching by subject, keyword, author, or title.
If you would like to browse the library's collection of physical books, check out the following call numbers (listed below by topic):
Asian history books have the call number DS. Political science of Asian countries is JQ. Asian religions can be found in BL through BQ. Other topics of interest can be found in books throughout the collection.
