Subject guides: Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies: Databases

This guide provides a general introduction to library and information resources for those studying, teaching and researching on topics relating to the literatures, languages and cultures of the Middle East.

About Library databases

The Library uses the term ‘database’ to describe a searchable online resource which forms an increasingly important part of our overall Library collections. Usually, the Library pays for access to copyrighted content within licensed databases, although a small number may be freely avialable to access.

Why use Library databases?

Access to information sources far beyond our own Library collections, anytime and anywhere
Powerful search facilities for research
Databases can be subject specific
More importantly, using the databases provided by the Library will help you find reliable information from trusted sources.

You might be able to find references to licensed databases by searching Google, but you'll only be able to access them via UoE login by following the links from Databases A-Z or Databaes by Subject, that is, if we do own or subscribe to the databases you need.

What do databases cover?

A database may be dedicated to a single subject (e.g. Beckett Digital Library) or cover several subjects (e.g. Arts and Humanities Citation Index). Some publishers also provide a single platform which allows you to search across all their databases from one website (e.g. ProQuest).

You can find a variety of resources:

full text e-journal articles
e-books
abstracts
citation information
newspaper articles - historical and current
primary source material, e.g. archives
dissertations
conference proceedings
images
audio-visual content including video streaming

Relationship between DiscoverEd and Library databases

DiscoverEd is a catalogue of all the Library collections, physical and electronic. The system is maintained by the Library. Databases are maintained and updated by database publishers.
Most databases are indexed in DiscoverEd by database name. We aim to keep this indexing as up to date as possible.
Most databases are also indexed in DiscoverEd at the item level, such as e-books, e-book chapters, and e-journal articles, but NOT for all the databases. One such exception is The Times Literary Supplement Historical Archive, 1902-2014 : you can find the database name in DiscoverEd, but articles in this database are NOT indexed in DiscoverEd. Therefore, search the database itself if you are looking for TLS articles.
You can search full text within full-text databases (e.g. JSTOR), but NOT in DiscoverEd because the latter doesn't index databases at the full-text level.

Tips for accessing databases

Access databases via the one of the correct routes below, instead of doing so via Google:
- Library Databases list
- DiscoverEd
- Library channel in MyEd
- Resource Lists
Remember to sign in when using DiscoverEd
Remember to use VPN when off-campus
Try a different browser
Some databases limit the number of simultaneous users - if you are turned away, just wait for a little while and try again.

► More about Library databases...

Key databases for IMES. University login required except for those marked as 'Open Access'.

American Hebrew & Jewish Messenger (1857-1922)
Founded in New York City in 1857, The American Hebrew was established as the weekly source of news impacting international Jewish communities. Reports on the persecution of Jews in Romania and Russia, and the subsequent influx of Jewish immigrants to the U.S., were of intense interest to readers of the paper. In 1919, the publication featured an article called “The Crucifixion of Jews Must Stop!” by former New York governor Martin H. Glynn, where he cried out against the poor living conditions and treatment of Jews across Europe following World War I – a situation he discerned as a potential “holocaust.” The American Hebrew also spotlighted Jewish figures in arts and literature, such as Emma Lazarus, who gained posthumous fame when her sonnet “The New Colossus” was inscribed on the base of the Statue of Liberty in 1912. The poet published the first poem she translated from the original Hebrew in an 1883 issue of the newspaper, and she joined her voice with other writers to advocate for opportunities in industrial education for Russian refugees. A special issue commemorating the death of Lazarus in 1884 featured tributes from such literary luminaries as Robert Browning, Edgar Rice Burroughs and John Greenleaf Whittier. Upon merging with The Jewish Messenger in 1903, the newspaper was officially known as The American Hebrew and Jewish Messenger. For students and researchers from a variety of fields, including U.S. and world history, culture, and Jewish studies, the digitized pages of this historic publication (1857-1922) are an invaluable resource from a Jewish American perspective in a rapidly changing world.
The American Israelite (1854-2000)
“Let there be light” has been the motto of The American Israelite since it was first published in 1854 with the intention to illuminate principles of Jewish faith and instill a sense of community among American Jews who often lived in geographically dispersed locations. Originally printed as The Israelite until 1874, this weekly is considered thelongest-running English-language Jewish newspaper available in the country Published in Cincinnati, OH, the paper was started by Rabbi Isaac Mayer Wise, best known as the founderof Reform Judaism in the U.S. The American Israelite published numerous editorial columns ardently in defense of the civil and religious rights of all Jews, writtenby Wise. These efforts eventually led to formation of the Union of American Hebrew Congregations which he initiated in Cincinnati. Wise also frequently penned columns calling for a Jewish educational institution, resulting in the establishment of the Hebrew Union College. Additionally, Wise also wrote several novels which were published as serials in his newspaper. For insight into the growth and development of Reform Judaism in the U.S., the digitized issues of The American Israelite (1854-2000) provide a valuable record of events and issues as they unfolded. Access to these primary source materials will be of benefit to students and researchers interested in culture and civil rights history, as well as national and world news presented from a Jewish American perspective.
Christian-Muslim Relations (600-1500)
Christian-Muslim Relations, a Bibliographical History 1 (CMR1) is a history of all the known works on Christian-Muslim relations from 600 to 1500. It comprises introductory essays and over 200 detailed entries containing descriptions, assessments and compehensive bibliographical details of individual works.
Christian-Muslim relations, 1500-1900
Christian-Muslim Relations, a Bibliographical History Online is a general history of relations between the two faiths as this is represented in works written by Christians and Muslims about the other and against the other. It covers all parts of the world in the period 1500-1914. Christian-Muslim Relations, a Bibliographical History Online comprises thousands of comprehensive entries on individual works and their authors, together with introductory essays to the periods and areas covered, making it the fullest available source in this field.
Creation of Israel: British Foreign Office Correspondence on Palestine and Transjordan, 1940-1948
The British Foreign Office Political Correspondence files on Palestine and Transjordan, 1940-1948 are essential for understanding the modern history of the Middle East, the establishment of Israel as a sovereign state, and the wider web of postwar international world politics. Early records in the collection focus on events in Palestine, Britain’s policy toward Palestine, and how the situation in Palestine affected relations with other nations. The files also survey the contours of Arab politics in the wider Middle East. Since the interests, rivalries, and designs of various Arab leaders were often played out with reference to Palestine, the documents provide insight into the complex and sometimes bloody Arab world. In the 1947-1948 period, this module explores the tensions within Anglo-American relations over the creation and recognition of Israel as a sovereign state. A large section of the material is devoted to United Nations deliberations on the Palestine question. The records also illuminate the political, philosophical, and personal fractures within and between both the Jewish and Arab communities from 1940-1948.
Dead Sea scrolls electronic library. Biblical texts
Presents a complete Hebrew transcription and English translation of the Biblical texts, together with high-resolution images (scalable). Access is available for all biblical fragments, including photos of the fragments, texts derived from the fragments in Masoretic order (bible books), English translation from the texts on the fragments and full Hebrew Scripture.
Dead Sea Scrolls Electronic Library Non-Biblical texts
Brill’s Dead Sea Scrolls Electronic Library Non-Biblical Texts offers a unique opportunity to study state of the art photographs of these ancient scripts, and understand their meaning using the translations of text and interpretations for missing fragments.
Early Western Korans Online
This remarkable collection demonstrates the impact of the holy book of Islam in Europe. Long before printing with movable type became common practice in the Islamic world, Korans had been printed in Arabic type in several European cities. The collection includes Korans and Koran translations, printed between 1537 and 1857, and is of interest to book historians, theologians, philologists, and scholars of Islamic Studies alike.
Encyclopaedia Iranica Online
Encyclopaedia Iranica is the most renowned reference work in the field of Iran studies. Founded by the late Professor Ehsan Yarshater and edited at the Ehsan Yarshater Center for Iranian Studies at Columbia University, this monumental international project brings together the scholarship about Iran of thousands of authors around the world.
Encyclopaedia Judaica
Second edition is a comprehensive reference work on the culture, history and religion of the Jewish people. The 22,000 articles include coverage of gender issues, the Bible, Jewish Law, community life, popular culture and the Holocaust.
Encyclopaedia of Islam, First Edition (1913-1936)
The Encyclopaedia of Islam First Edition Online (EI1) 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 First Edition Online is philology, history, theology and law until early 20th century. Such famous scholars as Houtsma, Wensinck, Gibb, Snouck Hurgronje, and Lévi-Provençal were involved in this scholarly endeavor. The Encyclopedia of Islam First Edition Online offers access to 9,000 articles.
Encyclopaedia of Islam, Second Edition
The Encyclopaedia of Islam (Second Edition) Online sets out the present state of our knowledge of the Islamic World. It is a unique and invaluable reference tool, an essential key to understanding the world of Islam, and the authoritative source not only for the religion, but also for the believers and the countries in which they live.
Encyclopaedia of Islam THREE
The Third Edition of the Encyclopaedia of Islam is an entirely new work, which sets out the present state of our knowledge of the Islamic World and reflects the great diversity of current scholarship. It is a unique and invaluable reference tool, an essential key to understanding the world of Islam, and the authoritative source not only for the religion, but also for the believers and the countries in which they live. The new scope includes comprehensive coverage of Islam in the twentieth century and of Muslim minorities all over the world.
Encyclopedia of Hebrew Language and Linguistics
The Encyclopedia of Hebrew Language and Linguistics Online offers a systematic and comprehensive treatment of all aspects of the history and study of the Hebrew language from its earliest attested form to the present day. It features advanced search options, as well as extensive cross-references and full-text search functionality using the Hebrew character set. With over 850 entries and approximately 400 contributing scholars, the Encyclopedia of Hebrew Language and Linguistics Online is the authoritative reference work for students and researchers in the fields of Hebrew linguistics, general linguistics, Biblical studies, Hebrew and Jewish literature, and related fields.
French Mandate in the Lebanon, Christian-Muslim Relations, and the U.S. Consulate at Beirut, 1919-1935
This collection consists of correspondence and telegrams received and sent by the American consular post in Beirut. The topics covered by these records include the protection of interests of American citizens, foreign trade, shipping, and immigration. But there is more to these records than traditional consular activities—the Beirut post provides a unique look into the French Mandate in Syria-Lebanon. Consular officials reported on the administration of the Mandate, its problems, French repression and Arab rebellion.
George H. W. Bush and Foreign Affairs: The Middle East Peace Conference in Madrid
This collection comprises materials related to the planning and organization of the October 1991 Middle East Peace Conference in Madrid. It consists of correspondence, memoranda, cables, diplomatic dispatches, reports, studies, maps, and printed material which document all aspects of staging the conference as well as the conference itself. The materials detail the role of the United States in convening the peace conference and the interactions and positions of the various parties involved. Subjects include the Persian Gulf War; Operation Desert Shield; Oil; public opinion; Intifada; U.N. Security Council Resolutions; Land for Peace concept; Palestinians; Palestine Liberation Organization; among other topics.
Historical Atlas of Islam
The Iran-Contra Affair: The Making of a Scandal, 1983–1988
The documents in this collection include every exhibit released by the official investigations of the Iran-Contra Affair, including the Senate Intelligence Committee, the Tower Commission, the joint select Congressional committees, and the Independent Counsel. Iran-Contra focuses on the period from Fall 1983, when Congress first put limits on official U.S. assistance to the Contras, to the criminal indictments of Oliver North, Richard Secord, and Albert Hakim in Spring 1988.
Iraqgate: Saddam Hussein, U.S. Policy and the Prelude to the Persian Gulf War, 1980–1994
The collection brings together a wealth of materials which trace U.S. policy toward Iraq prior to the Persian Gulf War, as well as U.S. government reactions to revelations about the Banca Nazionale del Lavoro (BNL) scandal and the secret arming of Saddam Hussein's regime. The set also focuses on the economic issues at play in the U.S. relationship with Iraq. Documents are derived from virtually every federal agency involved in U.S.-Iraq policy and the BNL affair.
The Jewish Advocate (1905-1990)
The Jewish Advocate was first printed in Boston, 1909, by Jacob deHass, executive secretary to the founder of modern political Zionism. With the intention to serve and unite the booming Jewish community throughout New England, The Jewish Advocate was formed to instruct on matters of the Jewish faith and to champion the establishment of a Jewish state. Briefly, the newspaper was also published as The Jewish Home Journal and The Boston Advocate. The pages of The Jewish Advocate gave voice to the publication’s staunch support for the appointment of Louis Brandeis as the first Jewish Supreme Court Justice in the U.S, and nearly thirty years later for the foundation of Brandeis University in Waltham, MA. In the years leading up to the World War II, the newspaper was also a rare voice in the media to warn of Hitler’s rise to power in Europe, and the threat it posed for Jewish people. Following the war, organizations formed to rebuild the lives of Jewish refugees found support and a forum for discussion and debate in the weekly publication. The Jewish Advocate continues to be a primary source of regional, national and international news and information for subscribers in New England and across the U.S., as well around the world. This digital newspaper archive (1905-1990) provides an in-depth historical perspective on issues and events pertaining to the rise of Zionism and the development of Jewish-American culture.
The Jewish Exponent (1887-1990)
The Jewish Exponent first hit the presses in 1887, founded by a group of 43 prominent Philadelphia businessmen. This stock ownership was meant to ensure the newspaper represented the entire community while serving in its coverage of local, national and international news. Charles Hoffman, a native Philadelphian lawyer and rabbi, as well as an ardent Zionist, served as the publication’s first editor and publisher. He penned a weekly column, “Men and Things” as a platform to explore issues of conservative Judaism. From the early days of the worldwide Zionist movement, The Jewish Exponent staunchly supported the establishment of a Jewish homeland and carried news of developments in Israel. Other topics the publication championed and brought to the attention of readers in the early and mid-20th century included Jewish immigration and the expanding influence in American public life. Over the decades The Jewish Exponent has not only been a primary source of news and information, but also a forum for stimulating discussion and debate. The publication has received annual awards from the American Jewish Press Association for excellence in Jewish Journalism.
Middle Eastern & North African Newspapers
The Middle Eastern & North African Newspapers collection includes publications from across this dynamic region, providing unique insights into the history of individual countries, as well as broad viewpoints on key historic events from the late nineteenth century through the present. Key topics include the decline of colonialism, the collapse of the Ottoman Empire, the Suez Crisis, the Cold War, the rise of the petroleum industry, twentieth-century pan-Arab movements, both World Wars, the establishment of the state of Israel, the Iran-Iraq War, and the recent Arab Spring. Content in the Middle Eastern & North African Newspapers collection is predominantly in Arabic, but also includes key titles in English and French. The following newspaper titles, plus more, are included: Al-Iqbal (from Lebanon, in Arabic); Tangier Gazette (from Morocco, in English and French); and La Vérité (from Algeria, in French and Arabic). This is Open Access resource made available by East View and the Center for Research Libraries.
Middle East Online: Arab-Israeli Relations, 1917-1970
The database offers a wide range of primary source materials (including letters, minutes, reports and maps) at the National Archives, London, from the Foreign Office, Colonial Office, War Office and Cabinet Papers from the 1917 Balfour Declaration through to the Black September war of 1970-1, documenting the context of the Arab-Israeli conflict as well as British diplomacy towards Israel and the Arab States.
Middle East Research and Information Project
The Middle East Research and Information Project (MERIP) was established in 1971 to provide critical reporting and analysis about contemporary Middle East affairs. For almost 50 years, MERIP has been first and foremost a community of people who care deeply about the Middle East and the world. That is truer today than it has ever been. As every pocket of the globe and every member of our community face the challenges of COVID-19, we at MERIP want to let you know the steps we are taking to bolster this community and continue our mission.
MideastWire
An online service of translated daily news briefings covering key political, cultural, economic, and opinion pieces appearing in the Arab media, covering 2005 onwards.
Neliti: Indonesia's Research Repository
Indexes research and data from journals and repositories across Indonesia from universities, government bodies, corporate publishers and think tanks. Includes journal articles, books, research reports, policy papers, conference papers and datasets. Full-text available (English or bahasa Indonesia).

It's full-text database of 3123 journals includes 285 titles on Islamic Studies and 13 titles on Middle Eastern Studies.
Noorlib
Noor Digital Library (Noorlib) is a full-text e-book database administered by the Computer Research Center of Islamic Sciences in Iran. It contains thousands of digitised book volumes from within the humanities, mostly in Arabic and Persian, with a particular focus on Islamic Studies.
Persian E-Books Miras Maktoob
The Miras Maktoob Persian e-book collection consists of 249 volumes (189 works) originally published by the Written Heritage Research Institute (Miras Maktoob), a non-governmental organisation in Tehran. These e-books, which are exclusively available from Brill, include works in both Persian and Arabic on Islamic history and culture in the broadest sense.
ProQuest history vault. Confidential U.S. State Department central files, Africa and Middle East, 1960-1969
A number of fascinating issues are chronicled including the brutal civil war between Biafra and Nigeria in the late 1960s; the 1964 Rivonia trial of Nelson Mandela and seven leaders of the African National Congress; violent protest against the South African government coupled with police crackdowns on the resistance; the first years of independence in Ghana and the Congo; and political developments in Egypt, Iran, Iraq, and Israel, including Ali Amin’s tenure as prime minister and his succession by Asadollah Alam in Iran, developments in the Knesset (Israeli Parliament), the political fortunes of important members of the Israeli government, and the fragile security situation faced by Israel. The countries covered: Biafra/Nigeria; Congo; Egypt; Ghana; South Africa; Iran; Iraq; Israel; Lebanon; Palestine; Saudi Arabia; and the Persian Gulf States (Aden, Bahrein, Kuwait, Muscat & Oman, Qatar, Trucial Sheiks); Yemen
Qur'an Tool
This is an open source digital tool, hosted at Melbourne School of Theology, for the critical study of the text, construction, and language of the Qur’an. Formulaic analysis is based upon the tools and techniques in An Oral-Formulaic Study of the Qur’an (New York: Lexington, 2017 [2014]) by Dr. Andrew G. Bannister. You can simply look up a verse or browse the list of all Suras, root usage by Sura, word lists, word associations and intertextual connections. There is also a searchable dictionary derived from Project Root List, which has digitised several classical Arabic dictionaries (al-Mufradāt fī gharīb al-Qurʾān, Lisān al-ʿarab, Tāj al-ʿarūs min jawāhir al-qāmūs, and An Arabic-English Lexicon by E.W Lane) and made the data publicly available. It is necessary to sign up for a personal account to use the service.

Related databases. University login required except for those marked as 'Open Access'.

Academic Search Complete
The Academic Search Complete multi-disciplinary database provides full text for more than 8,500 journals, including full text for more than 7,300 peer-reviewed titles. In addition to full text, this database offers indexing and abstracts for more than 12,500 journals and a total of more than 13,200 publications including monographs, reports, conference proceedings, etc. The database features PDF content going back as far as 1887, with the majority of full text titles in native (searchable) PDF format. Searchable cited references are provided for more than 1,400 journals.

Coverage: 1887 - present
Arts and Humanities Citation Index
Part of Web of Science Core Collection. A multidisciplinary index containing details of every substantive item in 1,200 arts and humanities journals, as well as references to books included in book reviews, and live performances, films, records, and television and radio broadcasts. Contains over 2 million references.

Coverage: 1906 - present
ATLA Religion Database with ATLA Serials
Covers all aspects of religion. ATLA Serials include full text access to over 330 journals. Citation information will indicate where full text is available.

Coverage:

Religion Index I: Periodicals 1949 to date, Religion Index II, Multi-author works 1960 to date, Index to Book Reviews in Religion 1949 to date, Research in Ministry 1981 to date. More coverage info available from https://www.ebsco.com/products/research-databases/atla-religion-database-atlaserials
British Library for Development Studies (BLDS)
The British Library for Development Studies (BLDS) is Europe's most comprehensive research collection on development issues. It holds over 80,000 monographs, including individual research reports, working papers and books, and over 10,000 magazine, newspaper, annual report and newsletter titles. Over 50% of the collection is published in the Global South, including many unique holdings.
CIAO: Columbia International Affairs Online
Columbia International Affairs Online (CIAO) is the most comprehensive source for theory and research in international affairs. It publishes a wide range of scholarship from 1991 onward that includes working papers from university research institutes, occasional papers series from NGOs, foundation-funded research projects, proceedings from conferences, books, journals and policy briefs. CIAO is also widely-recognized source for teaching materials including original case studies written by leading international affairs experts, course packs of background readings for history and political science classes, and special features like the analysis of a bin Laden recruitment tape with video. All sections of CIAO are updated monthly.
Ethnologue : Languages of the World - Danish
An authoritative resource that brings together more data than any other resource of its kind, Ethnologue contains the profiles of the current 7,099 living languages of the world. Regularly updated, Ethnologue provides in depth information covering the number of speakers of languages, location, dialects, usage statistics, linguistic affiliations and autonyms. In addition to living languages, Ethnologue also contains data on languages which have gone out of use since the first appearance of the publication 66 years ago.
JSTOR
Full-text journal archive service providing access to complete back runs of all the scholarly journals currently available in JSTOR. Recent volumes are excluded, usually the last 3-5 years, but each year a further year is added to the archive. Each title is listed in DiscoverED.

The collections currently available are: Arts & Sciences 1-15; Biological Sciences; Health & General Sciences; Ireland, Lives of Literature, Life Sciences.